Bloody Kisses, Strawberry Smiles
by LightofaThousandSuns
Summary: He should be dead....but he's alive....he wants HIM dead....but then why does he kiss him? And who shall save L from this "terror"? BBxL, Some small RaitoxL, YAOI, rape, violence/blood/gore. Takes place during the Kira case, spoilers for "Another Note".
1. Taken

A/N: Yes, my lovelies, I have returned…

A/N: Yes, my lovelies, I have returned…..with another angsty, violent, dark, and some rape/romance plot bunny! ((GASP)) XD

This story was inspired by my lovely chat family on DeviantArt, and the love I have for Beyond Birthday :D. Now, do not expect quick updates with this just yet, I still have _This Eternity, Not So Sweet and Normal Days, and A Deathly Fairytale_ as well. I'll try to work on multiple stories at the same time to get them out quicker, and I hope you will enjoy this one as well.

Now….lets get the warnings/time period out of the way:

- This is M for a reason. There WILL be blood, gore, violence/bondage/some torture, and will have mature Yaoi along with rape scenes, and much angst. If any of that is uncomfortable for you, I suggest you read another one of my stories. : )

- This WILL have spoilers for the DN novel, "Another Note", including the character of Beyond Birthday. There will also be spoilers for L's real name, along with many of the other real names (Watari, Mello, Matt, and Near)

-This takes place during the Kira case, around the time L suspects Raito as Kira, and Raito knows Misa Amane is the Second Kira.

…..Hmm…well, that's all I can think of for now. Oh, and this:

**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note, or its characters, nor do I own Another Note or its characters.**

Well, now that that is done with, on with the show, and please let me know what you think!!

OOoOoOOoOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooOOo OoOOoOooOoOOoo

_And it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be _

_false to any man._

_- "Hamlet", Act I Scene III_

_OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooOOOo_

One-Thirty-Three AM.

That is what the clock read as L gave it a quick glance while typing on the laptop seated in front of him. The others had retired to their homes hours long ago, leaving the bushy-haired man to himself for some well-needed peace and serenity.

L didn't hate those on the investigation squad, mainly for the reason he could not due to their needed assistance, but also the raven-haired man found that hating others to be a waste of time, and it was a difficult for L to hate anyone to begin with. Perhaps because he was not a personable man? Or maybe because L thought of hate as such a strong ideal, that it did not deserve to be connected to humans themselves, but more their actions and ideals. Either way, L knew that one could not hate those who were assisting him in the most important case of his life, especially when those of the Task Force were somewhat of good beings, though their faults could be read sometimes quite easily. But L still could not place this odd feeling he had for the other men….was it distrust? Lack of faith? What was it?

With a heavy sigh as he continued to type up the reports of the similarities and differences between Kira's victims, along with glancing at the papers listing the suspects he was investigating at the time, that which included Raito Yagami, star student and son to Soichiro Yagami, the raven came to realize what it was he had been feeling towards these men for the past few days:

He disliked the change he had had to make when it came to asking others for help.

If there was one thing L, the World's Greatest Detective, hated, it was change. He was a monotonous being, wanting to keep things simplistic, clean, and running how they usually did. L had never had to ask any police force for great assistance on any case he had ever solved. Sure, he sometimes asked them to help somewhat, and that was fine and all, but…….

He had never had to show his face to any of those men and women before, along with ask them for a great load of help as he had asked of Soichiro Task Force.

It wasn't that L didn't think he could handle the Kira case on his own, he did, but the twenty-four year old had come to the conclusion the police's assistance and connections would some day soon be needed. And that could only happen if L showed his face to the men whose trust he needed, and get them to work with him personally.

Thinking of all this had put L in a bad mood, again, so he pressed a small black button on the large laptop in front of him, connecting him to Watari's room.

"Watari, I need something sweet to clear my thoughts."

"….."

There was no response on the other line.

"Watari? Oh, you're probably busy at the moment. No matter, once you are finished, bring me a piece of that strawberry cheesecake you bought yesterday, yes?" With another click, the connect was cut, and L let out another tired sigh, curling up into his traditional crouch even more as he glanced through the paperwork spilled out in front of his ebony-gray eyes.

The main room's door creaked open not a moment later, and L didn't even turn his head to look at the man standing in the doorway, the golden light from the hall shining into the large room, with multiple lounge chairs and two couches, one of which L was sitting on at that moment.

"Ah, Watari, can you just leave the cake on the table? I need my privacy for the moment."

"….." Silence, except the footsteps grew louder, therefore closer. But L noticed the sound the footsteps made; they were quieter than Watari's normal footsteps. It was if he had on a different pair of shoes.

"…Watari, are you alright? You are awfully quiet tonight. Did you bring the cake?" The raven tried to hide the eagerness in the voice.

"…" The footsteps silently stopped and now L could feel a presence behind him, but he still did not turn his head, instead choosing to gaze at his paperwork even longer.

"…….Watari, is something-"

The man behind bent down near L's ear quickly, L could sense it, and automatically, he knew this was not Watari.

"Aw, L, I'm sorry….it's not Watari." Came the dark whisper from over the raven's right shoulder, and L audibly gasped.

He knew that voice. That dark, maniacal voice.

A voice he'd known long ago, but hadn't heard it is ages.

A voice…..that should be dead.

With breakneck speed, L jumped up from the couch, and turned around, his normally wide, dark eyes even wider in fear and shock.

_It……It is him……. But………_

The detective just stared, openly gaped at the other man standing before him.

It….was B.

The other stood there, looking exactly like L: Messy raven locks, white T-shirt, faded blue jeans, and tennis shoes. The only major difference in appearances was one thing: B's blood-red eyes. L had never known why they were red, only that they were, and they both shocked and amazed him at the same time. The copy was also holding a jar of strawberry jam precariously in his bony, pale hands.

"B…..Backup….." L quietly sputtered out to the other.

B had had a toothy grin at the mention of his letter identity, but it turned into a sad pout at the mention of what he used to be called.

"You still refer to me as that…..that hurts, Lawli."

Another audible gasp from L at the partial mention of his real name, his eyes widening to their furthest extent.

"H-How….?"

"How I know of your real name is of no importance to you, L. You are probably wondering how I'm alive, yes?"

L gave a silent blink as a reply, not trusting his voice or the majority of his body at the moment

"I'll take the blink as a yes, then." B smirked to himself as he unscrewed the jar of jam, "I hope you don't mind I took this from your fridge, I just couldn't resist!" He gave a toothy smile as he flung the lid across the room, the metal top hitting the wall closet to L with a clang.

B began to dig his hands into the jam, pulling out the gooey substance with vigor and passion, his red eyes lit up with an ecstasy-like look. The younger one wasted no time, and began to lick the jam right off his hand, his eating habits mimicking that of a wild animal.

L internally grimaced at the animalistic display, even more so when B dunked his hand again into the small jar, drawing out more jam and continued to eat it in his fashion with many a noisy slurp.

"…..Normally…..I wouldn't…..talk while…..I eat…..but……..I don't…..we don't…..have much time…..so….." B took a long slurp of the jam here, "I shall speak now."

The detective just stared at the other, who breathed quietly then opened his mouth with a devilish smirk attached to speak.

"Did you really think I would die just like that L? So…**pathetically?** So….simple? Did you really think I would have a death such as that in that insane asylum? That is where those at the Los Angeles Prison sent me you know….they thought I was crazy, L."

L blinked, finally trusting himself enough to respond.

"…..It was assumed Kira killed you, Back-"

"Don't. Call. Me. THAT!" B screamed and in a insane motion, threw the jam jar across the wall, it shattering into hundreds of small pieces, jam sticking to the wall in a paint-splattered fashion.

The copy pouted but sighed, "Oh, well, I did want to leave a calling card anyway…." B smirked at L, a haunted smirk that sent chills down the insomniac's spine.

"Do you still think I am an apparition, Lawli? Well, I am not. …..You went to that asylum once you heard of my death, did you not? I know you did."

"……Yes, I did. I requested to see your body in the asylum's morgue."

The smirk deepened to epic proportions, "And? Did you see me, Lawli?"

"…..No, and I ask you this B: stop calling me by that incessant nickname."

B pouted at the request, "You aren't really in a position to be ordering me around, Lawli-**chan**. As I was saying, yes, you could not have seen me, for I was not to be dead."

"….But what about the reports stating Beyond Birthday was dead?" L glowered at the addition of "chan" to his partial-true name.

"Ah! You do remember my real name!" B smiled a toothy grin, his eyes lighting up with joy, but the look and smile vanished as quickly as they came, "It's just too bad you choose not to call me that. Anyway, concerning those reports, they were false. Lies printed up by the asylum. Besides, do you not realize Kira could not have killed me? Did you not order my face to not be shown on television or released to the public in any way?"

"…….Yes, I did order that."

"For your own safety, is that not true, L?"

"Again, yes, B. I did want those close to me who have seen my face, mostly those located at Wammy's, to see another one who looked like me or become frightened. The same with those in public in case I ever did need to show my face to others."

"Exactly, Lawli. You did it to protect yourself. And the others at Wammy's….the ones you have always cared about….save me, of course."

"…….How are you here? How did you get here? How did you find me?" Now the questions were coming too rapidly, different from moments ago when they would not come out at all.

"I escaped the asylum of course. My Lawli-chan, has your brain decreased in IQ points?" B shook his head sadly, "That asylum's security was terrible, and that guard was an idiot", he mumbled under his breath, "He shouldn't have carried a knife so plainly in view." The copy made a dissenting clicking sound with his tongue.

"As for how I got here, well, I just bided my time, watching the news, wondering where in the world my little Lawli would end up, and then the Kira case comes into view!" Beyond smiled another toothy smile. "And there you are, announcing on television your challenge to Kira. I was so proud and so joyous that you had finally appeared before me once again."

"…But this hotel…..how did you find out I was here, at this place exactly?"

BB smiled, and gave a small chuckle, "Why L, don't you know that black Mercedes stand out here in Kanto? Seeing that drive around with Watari at the wheel led me right to you! You order Quillish around a lot, don't you? Along with the fact that I just hung around at the many expensive hotels here in Kanto, just biding my time, waiting for you to appear before me."

L blinked apprehensively, still staring at B, whose red-eyes just continued to gaze back.

"Well, any more questions, L? As I said, we do not have much time to idly chitchat."

"Yes, where is Watari!?" The older man came floating back to L's mind, "And why are you here!?"

"Watari is a little busy at the moment; I guess you could say he is……locked up in other pressing matters?" A small grin from Beyond sent L into a frenzy of worry.

"And….as for why you are here……" B finally moved after ages of standing still, moving elegantly closer, like a big cat in the African jungle hunting down its prey, towards L, a malicious and diabolical gleam in his eyes.

"…Y-Yes? What is it?" The detective tried not to show fear through words or actions, but his body moved automatically, defensively, away from B, his back pressing closer and closer towards the wall and fireplace.

"Why….it's you." Beyond charged at L, shoving him against the wall, and the older man lost his balance, head hitting the edge of the fireplace, and L found his body tumbling towards the ground.

The sweets-lover let out a groan as he tried to stand up, eventually accomplishing the task, and placed a bony hand on his bleeding head.

"Aww….did Lawli hurt himself?" Beyond mocked sweetly, a teasing grin playing on B's lips.

"You…." L finally got his grounding back, and sent a flying kick towards B's face, but……

The copy caught it. Swiftly and acrobatically, the younger, red-eyed man caught it with his hand.

"Did you really think I cam here unprepared L? I know of your fighting skills…..so I trained as well." With strength unforeseen by the insomniac, B flung L across the room, his head banging into the wall again, this time L falling to the floor knowing he would not be getting up anytime soon.

"That wasn't my full strength Lawli….you should thank me that I did not throw you out the window or into the fireplace again."

L only gave a groan in reply, trying to raise his voice in a scream, but failing miserably.

B softly stepped over to the prone man holding his head, and quietly whispered.

"Shh….you're alright, Lawli…..I can't hurt you that much yet…..I'm not finished with you….we still have lots more games to play…..I wouldn't let you die before the fun is over…." Beyond smiled, and L saw through his lidded eyes the other man pull out a small cloth and L knew it had to be drugged, most likely with chloroform.

The detective's eyes flashed open and he let out a gargled scream as B slapped the cloth over his mouth, and L could already begin to smell the drug; but he continued to struggle, his hips and legs bucking lethargically, but still it was movement.

"Don't struggle, L….it will all be over soon." He quietly whispered, with a scary soothing tone right into the insomniac's ear and B took a quick sniff of L's midnight locks, letting out a small mewl at that unique scent of the other.

L could feel the drug taking effect rather speedily; his legs stopped their movements, and his head fell to the side. His gray-black eyes beginning to close.

Beyond gave a bigger smile, and softly kissed L's forehead.

"Rest, my soon-to-be bloody angel……we'll have fun when you wake up…."

That kiss was the last thing L felt before his world went black…….

OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooOOOo

BANG

BANG

CRASH

Finally, after two hours of trying, Quillish Wammy had busted down the closet door that he had been locked in. He felt like a very, very, large idiot for being fooled and tricked by Beyond Birthday. He hadn't seen the lad in years, and here he just appeared out of nowhere! The young man had come into the kitchen, and at first, Watari thought of B as L….but was instantly fooled when the other shoved him into the kitchen closet.

"Ryuzaki, are you-!?"

Watari stopped as he entered the main room. It was dead silent, papers strewn everywhere, L's laptop still standing strong though, but what Watari noticed greatly was the massive amount of jam on the far wall, and the shattered glass as well. There were also a few drops of blood near the fireplace, and the elder's heart sank.

Running to the window, he tried to see if anything suspicious was afoot outside, but he hypothesized Beyond was long gone.

With a sigh of anguish, Watari ran out of the main room, bringing out his cell phone.

He had to alert Yagami-san…..L was missing……..kidnapped…..

Their L was kidnapped………..

OooOOOOoOOOOOooOOOOOoOOOOooOOOOOOoooOOOOOo

A/N: WOAH

Talk about drama….. xD

Well, I hoped you enjoyed this first chapter, there are many more to come! It's gonna be one hell of a ride, literally, so strap in and get set, because there is lots more to come! Please review and let me know what you think! Ta ta for now! : DDD


	2. Shattered

A/N: Well, I wanted to do another update of this while I write my other stories, which I promise will be coming soon. But they do take longer since BETA's look at them. But right now, the next chapter of TE is about a 1/3 of the way done, and so is A Deathly Fairytale's next chapter. I'm sorry; I've just been really busy with driver's training and getting my permit. Anyway, enough about that! Thank you so much for the alerts, favs and reviews last time!

WARNING: The rating is officially M here folks, this is the first really mature chapter. You've been warned…….and trust me, you cannot skip this chapter…..there's very important dialogue in here. :)

And I don't own DN, Another Note, or William Shakespeare, who happens to be one of my most loved inspirations. Thanks for the dramas and tragedies, Mr. Shakespeare! :D

_OooOOOOOOOOooOOOOOooooooO_

_The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man_

_knows himself to be a fool._

_-"As You Like It", Act V, Scene I_

_OOoOOOOooOOOooOooOOOooOOOoOOoOOoo_

Pain….pure, aching pain.

That was what L felt first as he cracked open his pale eyelids, his body and mind trying to adjust to the bright light streaming in from somewhere….

The detective couldn't remember much. He figured all that had happened last night was just a horrible nightmare due to him falling asleep again. It would not be the first time he dreamt about Beyond…..Backup…..B. The man had haunted his sleep, along with others from L's past, numerous times. So the raven thought it was safe to assume that it had all been a nasty repeated dream, and that he would awaken on the couch, or perhaps his bed if Watari decided to lay his frail body on a more comfortable setting.

Not a moment later did L's eyes become adjusted, and his worst fear came true: It wasn't a dream.

The twenty-four year old found himself in a gigantic room, completely made of metal and rusty bolts and nails. There were large horizontal windows on the east and west walls, letting sunlight stream in. L tilted his head somewhat and could see a door on the north and south walls, leading to unknown destinations. The rest of the room was plain, with only a few pieces of large or small scrap metal scattered about. From the square metal ceiling hung……some unknown objects; L could not tell what they were from this angle.

To alleviate that problem, L tried to sit up, and was able to but…..

When he tried to move his legs, he couldn't.

Shocked that the normal motion of a human being could not be completed, his head shot down towards his legs, and he ogled at his ankles, which had been chained to the rusty bed frame, holding the mattress he was lying upon. Not only that, it seemed that his legs could not move at **all**, even if he was to be chained, L figured he still should have been able to move somewhat. But it was to no avail.

Then, the insomniac turned to his wrists, and gasped as he saw that they were chained to the bed frame as well. These rusty, silver chains were longer though, so L could move his arms somewhat.

More angered than frightened, for L was one not to be frightened easily, he snarled and screamed at the top of his lungs.

"BEYOND!"

Boiling with fury, the detective breathed roughly, waiting for the man he called to appear. He knew in his mind, with one-hundred percent, that Beyond would not just leave him here to die.

Not a moment later was a demon-like cackle heard, echoing off the walls of the room, and the entire building…whatever the building was.

"Aww…Lawli's already screaming my name…how sweet." The door on the south side creaked open with a screech, and L turned his head to see B leaning against the door frame. "You missed me, didn't you Lawli?" A creepy smile settled on B's face, sending chills down the detective's spine.

One thing was different about B this time. His shirt was no longer white like L's, but was now a midnight black. It was still the same style, long three-quarters of sleeves, but the color had changed. Seeing it made L think of Yin-Yang, and the whole black-white, good versus evil debate; perhaps Beyond wanted to contrast L in somewhat?

"Oh…you've noticed I've changed. I prefer black over other colors, L. Did you think there was some stupid symbolism behind the change?" B mocked with a smirk.

"Hmph. I am not surprised you love black, you always seemed to love the macabre side of life more……Yes, I did think of symbolism. I must over-think too much…you are not that deep of a person to think of something such as symbolism."

B snarled and steeped closer, his eyes afire with anger.

"No, it's not that. Why should I waste symbolism on someone such as **you**, L?"

"Tell me where I am." L ordered, his rage building into pure flames of anger.

"Again with the ordering around, Lawli? You really need to get off your high horse."

"So do you." L retaliated immediately, internally grimacing as Beyond decided to sit down on the bed near L in a crouch that mimicked the detective's, but far enough to where B could not touch him.

Beyond pouted, his face changing into a kicked puppy's expression.

"Do you really think that Lawli-chan?"

"Well, you kidnapped me due to your ridiculous obsession with me, thinking you are above me, so yes, I do think you need to be pushed off that high horse of yours."

B's pout dipped, and L felt no pity for his words. His anger blocked out all other emotions.

"…R…Ridiculous?" Beyond whispered quietly, "What I want…is ridiculous?"

"How the hell should I know what you want?!" L cried angrily.

The pout instantly disappeared, and B started to shake as evil giggles flew from his mouth.

"Kyahaha…what I want…What I want Lawli……" Beyond turned his maniacal smile and gleam in his eyes to L's ebony orbs, "Is to make you suffer…like I've suffered. Do you not realize that?"

L audibly gasped, but stated calmly, "Why?"

"You have everything…I have nothing…..I've always had nothing……so you must pay."

"Is this revenge for arresting you during the Los Angeles Murder Case?" L questioned quietly.

"…That's part of it. But I have other reasons for this as well."

"Care to share those reasons with your hostage, B?"

Beyond sighed, and shook his head, "No, not at the moment, L; perhaps later on. You are going to be here a while, so there's lots of time."

"Hah," Now it was L's turn to shake his head, "Watari will find me; I know he knows that it was you that kidnapped me. He and those at Wammy's will find me, and I am working with the police on the Kira case, so they shall assist as well."

"Hehe…Watari may be searching for you, but I have very high doubts he shall find you. I chose this gigantic warehouse just for that reason. We're fairly far from the Kanto area…and this area is abandoned."

"Warehouse? So that is where you stash me…"

"Stash? Oh, no, not stash. Keep….like a little secret pet that no one can know about, Lawli." Beyond's smile turned into one that a schoolgirl might have if her crush just asked her out on a date.

"L is no one's pet, Beyond." L growled out, wishing that the chains holding him would just vanish so he could throttle the man before him.

"Aww…then I must be no one then to you L, but that really isn't a surprise, but you see, L, you are my pet now…my belonging. My precious angel…who shall be punished for his crimes."

"You sound like Kira….how cute. And what do you mean, you are nothing to me?"

Beyond curled his hands into fists, and stood, surprising L, and came close to the insomniac's face.

In an instant, a fist connected with L's cheek, sending him flying back onto the bed with a scream.

"Never compare me to Kira!! I am nothing like him!" Beyond screamed with rage and…sadness in his voice. "Never, never!!"

"But you are! You plan to kill me, don't you!?"

Beyond let out a heartbreaking whine, and threw another punch at L's face, hitting its target perfectly.

"Don't tell me what I plan to do! Only **I** know what I shall do! You know nothing!" Beyond ranted, "And your friends at the police will never come to your rescue! They hate you, you are not their friend! L has no friends; no one cares about him because L cares about no one!"

L was silent, facing the wall, not even giving a glance at the copy.

After a minute of hearing Beyond's harsh breathing from the screaming, L spoke up.

"Are you quite finished?"

"Hehe…I'm just getting started with you, Lawli…..with yelling, for now."

"You're wrong about me, Beyond. You cannot say I have no friends for you do not know me."

"And you do not know me…you never have." B returned with a poisonous tone. "But I know everything about you, Lawli-pop…."

"You say that like you do, but in all honesty you don't, Beyond. And…Lawli-pop?" L was torn between being disgusted by that name, or whether he should compliment B on his word-usage and creativity. He decided on the former.

"Mmm…Lawli-pop…like the candy." Beyond smiled dreamily, looking at L as his head tilted at an odd angle. "Lawli-pop, Lawli-pop, oh how sugary sweet. Soon you shall kneel before me at my feet." He sang in a sing-song voice.

"Cute rhyme, but I am afraid it is not going to happen, B." L glared at the other man, who pouted again with a sad sigh.

"Oh, Lawli, why are you still so stubborn? Only I know of what I am to do with you. I shall not be telling you, because that will spoil the fun for both of us!"

"If you plan to try to scare me, I suggest you think of a better way than to just chain me to this bed."

"Oh, don't worry. This warehouse has multiple rooms, you will be chained to that bed a lot though, but I'll let you move around to the other rooms with my permission and watchful eye of course. And don't worry…I shall scare you enough.", Beyond chuckled darkly, "Soon you shall fear me Lawliet, very soon. And the best part is, no one shall find you here…..no one shall find you. You're here, in a small abandoned area of the Tohoku region. You'll be mine here forever Lawli…forever here to suffer."

L smirked, "Suffer? You can do your worst to me, Beyond, and I shall not suffer. I have gone through harder instances in my life than this."

"…..You are a fool, Lawli; a sad, lying fool. You say you have suffered, but have you actually? You do not know of suffering, no one ever taught you that." The jam-lover smirked, "So **I** shall be your teacher."

With an animalistic snarl, Beyond lunged at L, his hands going on either side of L's head, his bony legs under his jam and blood stained jeans going each on one of L's sides, touching the detective's legs barely. In essence, he was almost straddling the older man underneath him.

"Now, Lawli, I'm impatient…..let's have fun shall we? And don't worry if we get messy. I brought lots of your clothes, food, and I bought a lot of other things at stores too. I'm going to take **good** care of you, Lawli-pop."

Finally, L was becoming scared, but he showed no emotion other than anger and pure rage.

"Get off of me, B." He calmly ordered, staring into the fire-red eyes gazing solely into his own ebony-gray orbs.

"Never." The copy whispered evilly, and in seconds, he lunged at L's neck, and began to…….

Kiss it?

L audibly gasped at the movements, the rough kisses on his pallid neck becoming rougher and rougher by the second.

"G-Get off! Dammit, why won't my legs work!? Beyond, what is the mean-?"

The wielder of the Eyes slapped a hand over L's mouth, silencing him.

"Lawli needs to learn when to shut his mouth. You're legs don't work because I injected a hand-made drug into your system, L. I've studied some chemistry over the past few months, preparing for this, and I've made my own concoction. Of course, I had to test it out on others first……I'm sure you've seen those murders in Germany yes? Where the victims had odd drugs found in their system, and had died of an "overdose" due to the strange drug being forcefully injected into them? That was me……didn't they ask you to help on that case? Oh, probably not…Kira has taken over completely in your life, hasn't he? Anyway, I've finally made it perfect…the right amount of sedatives, liquor and other drugs have made the perfect appendage sedative. It won't last for long, so we need to make this quick."

Finally, after many harsh moments, L finally showed fear. His body and mind couldn't hold it in anymore; his eyes widen to their furthest extent, his body tensing up, and Beyond smirked when he felt it.

"Are you experiencing fear for the first time, L? How cute….and I feel honored **I'm **making you experience it for your first time. Like…I'm…taking away your virginity to fear…" An evil smile glistened in the morning sunlight, "And now I shall take away the **other** type of virginity you possess."

L gasped, and with Beyond's hand still over him, he tried to scream, and move his torso, but it was to no avail. The chains nearly prevented all movement, and not only that, Beyond was no light-weight either.

"Shh….don't struggle…or better yet, do. I want to make you suffer, Lawli. But…you're screaming…though I want to hear it, maybe I should muffle it….no, and it doesn't matter, no one could hear it. I want to hear you scream in agony. In pain, in despair, in fear, I want to hear it all L. Besides, I can gag you at another time…we are going to be here a long time, as I said before."

Beyond instantly lunged again at L's neck, but this time, biting it roughly in one spot. So roughly, the raven underneath B let out a piercing scream that could have shattered window and deafened the young. Another gargled groan escaped L's lips as Beyond continued to bite harder, eventually piercing the skin, and the copy raised his head triumphantly.

"Finally…I've marked you as mine, Lawli." B whispered, and L could see a bright red mark on his neck that would eventually turn into a dark blue bruise. Two tiny drops of blood flowed from the pallid neck, and Beyond smirked, bending down to lick at the tiny drops, giving a shiver and a small purr like that of a feline while doing so.

"G-Get off…of me!" L shouted, and tried to move his arms to push Beyond off, but failed; the chain was only long enough for him to stretch his arms, but little movement, such as pushing or pulling, was unavailable as options.

The jam-lover pouted, "Aw…Lawli…don't act like that…"

"Y-You're insane! Get off!" L regretted the words the instant they left his pale, thin lips.

"I-In….Insane? You think I'm insane TOO?! You'll pay for saying that Lawli!" Beyond screamed, and in an instant, he'd ripped L's shirt into pieces, flinging them aside, strewn to the ground like pieces of paper.

"B-Beyond, I-"

SLAP

The noise rang out through the room as B's hand made contact with L's cheek.

"Shut. UP." Beyond lunged at L's exposed chest, repeatedly biting and nipping all over the porcelain skin; L screamed at each rough bit, wincing, and groaning, all of which was music to B's ears.

"S-Stop this…Beyond…we can…w-work-"

"If you are about to say we can work this out, you are wrong, Lawli." The biting became worse, and blood started to appear again, Beyond lapping it up like a dog at a water bowl.

"Mmm…..delicious…sweet, like you." He whispered as his face loomed over the detective's black eyes clashing with red.

"Beyond, please, can't we-mmph!" The raven was cut off as Beyond's lips hungrily attacked his lips, demanding, no, forcing entrance into L's mouth with his tongue. The copy began to nip at L's lips, drawing even more blood from there.

"Blood…your blood is the sweetest of all the blood I have tasted, Lawli-pop."

"S-Stop it…" L softly called out, "C-Can't we…t-talk…" He tried not to let fear show through voice or eyes, but it was very difficult.

"The time for talking ended ages ago, Lawliet. Now…is the time for action."

B backed up, and unbuttoned his own jeans, sliding them off slowly, as if he was trying to seduce the other; as he did so, though, he spoke, his words contradicting that idea.

"Don't think I am trying to seduce you, L, you vain man. This is just to show you on what you shall forever be missing out on." Beyond's black boxers slid off next, falling gracefully to the floor.

L's walls finally cracked; his face paled to epic proportions, his ebony eyes wide enough like that of a frightened child. He knew what was coming next.

"Beyond, don't."

"Hmm…..I don't think so. And you can't do a damn thing about it, Lawli." An evil smile, full of hate and loathing, shone upon the copy's lips, and he lunged at L, unbuttoning the detective's jeans, and lowering them down to the older one's ankles. Boxers came down next, and the raven's face had now contorted into worry, a grimace on his face, his eyes alit with shining tears already.

"Aww….Lawli's already gonna cry?" Beyond mocked, "…Wonderful."

…

L didn't know what came first, the pain or the blood. But the moment Beyond's member slid into him, raw, he screamed a violent scream, and the tears waiting to fall were released, flowing freely like raindrops on a window pane.

"B-Beyond! Stop! Get out!" He screamed, trying his best to move his still movable torso, but B was far too heavy to lift off. "Get out!!"

B had thrown his head back, his blood-eyes wandering back, an evil grin on his face.

"Is Lawli in pain? He's bleeding….and crying…..how cute."

L shivered; the feeling of being split in two coursing through his veins. And Beyond wasn't fully sheathed yet, and more blood was flowing out.

Beyond didn't waste anymore time; in seconds he pushed forcefully into L, one-hundred percent of the way.

L let out another deafening scream, his fingernails clenching into the palms of his hands, scratching the picture-perfect skin.

"BEYOND!!"

"KYAHAHA! I **knew** you'd be screaming my name soon enough! I am never wrong!!

The detective was helpless, chained up, tears flowing in a steady stream. So this is what it felt like to be raped….to be broken in half as if he was an old toy……

The pain didn't stop though, it wouldn't, for Beyond began to thrust in and odd, repeatedly, roughly, showing no compassion for the other.

But this wasn't a love-making session…it wasn't even a fuck between two lovers who were in the mood for some rough fun…

There was no love behind Beyond's actions, only hate, detest and despise…..

Every thrust made L scream in agony, and ever scream made more tears shed. L hadn't cried in years…….

"Is Lawli…..not enjoying this? He…isn't turned on either…how sad…"

"Y-You're raping m-me…and you…expect me…to be turned…on?!" The raven screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Well, I guess not….I can't expect that, can I? You are being taken by force…..and unwillingly….but at least **I** am turned on by your pain, Lawli."

The thrusting sped up quickly, continuing their rough, hurtful pace, their animalistic pace, and L's screaming was only dying down due to the fact that his voice was becoming hoarse and wheezy. His body still racked with pain, his eyes wide, staring at nothing. He could not, would not, stare into those red eyes that were so locked upon his own.

It continued like that for only God knows how long…..ten minutes, twenty? Either way, L's body had completely numbed itself to everything else but pain…the pain…..his pain. His heart shattering pain that echoed throughout his body and soul, like a crying phantom. It wasn't stopping, B was showing no mercy, and each thrust, each cry of hateful pleasure that escaped Beyond's lips sent shivers down through L's body, right into his heart.

……After so long, too long, it was over. L Lawliet could feel Beyond's juices enter him, and the murderer exited his body rapidly, silently.

The detective stared at the west wall, not saying a word, tears still cascading down his face.

With his back to L, B began to dress mutely; inside his maniacal mind was turning….

_What does he think of me now…? The fool...I've shattered him, and yet he's silent as a lamb…what is his problem…? Is he too much of a man to admit pain…? He is human, yes…but…_

Finally, the chained raven let out a gargled cry, a whimper and whispered,

"I hate you now…" Another whimper and finally, L was letting out sobs, curling into himself like an unborn babe.

The "now" wasn't lost on Beyond, but he didn't respond. How could he? What was left there to say?

Nothing.

B headed towards the north door silently, and pushed it open with a bang. He exited, but the copy returned a moment later with one of L's shirts that he had stolen. The man who wielded the Eyes laid it gently on the detective's body, and headed back towards the still open door, back turned towards L. He figured L could pull his clothes back on himself, the chains should allow that; if not…he'd fix it later, when he wasn't so confused yet so overjoyed at the same time.

Beyond finally made it to the doorway, hunched back still turned towards L, and he quietly whispered,

"I know." And slammed the door shut, leaving L trapped, alone on the bed, chained….

Shattered. Both L's, the World's Best Detective, and L Lawliet, had shattered into nothingness.

The ebony eyes turned to the ceiling and L finally got a good look at the objects on the ceiling.

They were Wara Ningyo, thirteen dolls to be exact. Six of them were nailed to the metal roof, while the other seven were hanging by string tied around their necks; that string nailed to the ceiling.

While L laid there, naked, cold, and alone, he wondered……..

Wondered if those straw dolls represented Beyond's victims….and…

If a doll was to be placed up there…..representing him…….

OooOOOoOOOOooOOOOooOOOooOOOOOooooooo

"What do you mean he's been kidnapped?!" Suichi Aizawa screeched in shock, "L!? **Our **L?! How?!"

"Please, Mr. Aizawa, you must calm down." Watari tried to soothe the erratic afro-adorned man, "I am trying to handle the situation as quickly as possible."

"Well, we're the damn police! We have to do something!" The other man countered.

"Aizawa, how?!" Soichiro piped up, "This is L we're talking about. We can't exactly post up filers and alert the media that the World's Greatest Detective is missing. One, L's face cannot get out, and two, do you realize that the crime rate **worldwide** would escalate?!"

"Y-Yeah…but…." Aizawa knew everything the Chief had said was the moral truth.

"But what can we do?!" Matsuda spoke up, "We need to find him! He's supposed to solve the Kira case! And…..what if this person hurt him or kills-"

"Matsuda, don't say that. We can't think like that." Soichiro reprimanded the younger man.

"I'm afraid Matsuda's fears may not be far enough," Watari stated calmly, " I know of the man who has kidnapped L, and I wish I could tell you whom, but Ryuzaki wishes it to be kept confidential."

"What!? Then how can we help him!?" Aizawa sputtered incredulously.

"I am doing my best Mr. Aizawa," The older guardian stated, "I am in contact with others, we are doing our best….For now, Ryuzaki would want you all to continue the Kira case without him, and just have him in your thoughts and prayers. He is a strong man, he can survive anything."

_I hope……_

The men nodded, and not a moment later, a knock came from the hotel room's door.

Quillish Wammy calmly answered it, and seeing Raito Yagami he gasped.

"Mr. Raito……" He gave a small smile, "How lovely to see you."

"Yeah, hello Watari." The young man who was secretly the killer the whole team was searching for bowed, "It's nice to see you all as well. Ryuzaki wanted me to help today, right?"

_That idiot……..does L think he can beat me…? This will be my just-filled world…… _

The college student entered the room, and at seeing the down faces, he knew something was wrong.

"…..Where's Ryuzaki?" He questioned, not seeing the sweets-lover in the room, eating or typing or working….or doing anything.

Those words sent Aizawa into a rage, storming around the room, punching a wall, and he headed into the nearest bedroom, swearing. Matsuda's head fell into his hands, his young body shaking. Mogi's fingers came to his temple, rubbing it with a shake of his head.

"Dad, what's-"

Soichiro came to his son, placing a hand on the young man's shoulder.

"Son….Ryuzaki was kidnapped last night. We don't know who took him, but Watari does, and is trying to work on finding him. I'm sorry; I know he was your friend."

Raito was honestly shocked, and it showed on his face, he didn't hide it, and felt there was no need to. He did have to play the part of the worried friend, yes?

"Y-You're not serious…."

"I'm afraid I am."

Internally, Raito was shocked, but….

Also overjoyed.

_So…it seems L isn't as strong as he seems to be…that idiot, he probably has many enemies…finally…finally, L is out of my way…though I wish I could kill him myself, and I'm not sure if that kidnapper will do it…but from the way everyone is acting, it sounds like L is in a dangerous, deadly situation…but…now I don't have to worry about him finding Misa, or suspecting me…this…this is…_

"Dad, everyone….we need to continue the Kira case for Ryuzaki." Raito proclaimed sternly, "I know he would want it."

"Yes, Watari already said that we should," The chief of the NPA stated to his son, "We shall, and I know soon Ryuzaki shall return to us."

Raito nodded, internally smirking, the power of Kira coursed through his veins even faster…….

_This……this is……_

_Perfect._

_Absolutely Perfect……_

OOOoOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooOOOoOOOooOOOOOOooooo

A/N: (cries) I loved, yet hated writing this chapter. I've never written one like this before, and it hurt to hurt L. And Raito is still an uncaring man with Kira's powers. AND this is just the beginning of torture for L.

Well, tell me what you think! Reviews are welcomed, and I shall see you at the next chapter! Ciao for now!! : )


	3. Memories

A/n: And we return to the madness……

Thank you so much for all of the lovely reviews, alerts and favs of this little baby. It's slowly growing, with all of your encouragement. : )

_Long blocks of Italics represent B's flashbacks to the past…_

_Also, Italicized words represent B's thoughts, and those __that are underline represent his __**conflicting **__thoughts. __You'll see what I mean. Italics also represent Raito's dreams…_

Also, in current time, L is 24; B is 19….just letting you know for reference!

Yes, B's past will be coming to light (NO pun intended, people XD) here; it's too bad Another Note didn't touch on it a lot, but hey, that gives us writers some golden opportunities, yes? So if A is not how YOU pictured him, well, I hope you still enjoy my take on him. : D

Anyway, enjoy, and reviews are welcomed! : )

_OoOooOOOoOOOOOOOOoOOOOooOOOOoOOOOo_

_Conscience is but a word cowards use,_

_devised at first to keep the strong at awe._

_- "King Richard III", Act V, Scene III_

_OOoOOooOOOoOooOOOOoOOOOOoOOOOOOOoOOOOooOOOoo_

He was still lying there…..just…..lying there.

Like a wounded animal, a broken doll…….a dead body.

Except L Lawliet was far from dead, Beyond Birthday knew that.

Not only because he had not killed L, but also because of the floating numbers above the older one's head.

Numbers that only Beyond Birthday could see.

He also knew L didn't know he was there…either that, or L was not paying attention to the hunched figure of B who was discreetly watching from the south door's frame, the steel door open just a tiny crack.

The detective was just lying there on that dirty mattress, on that rusty bed frame; wide-awake, staring at the east wall.

And B would have almost given up everything just to read that man's thoughts.

_I hate you now……_

_I hate you now……_

_I hate you now……_

The words rang in Beyond's mind, again and again, like a never-ending symphony.

_Now……_

_Now……_

_Now……_

The "now" continued to echo, echo like a scream, but also a whispering wind blowing through a haunted wood.

_He's lying……he's always hated me……always…Since when did L ever care about me? Or even anyone for that matter. He's never cared…not even when we were younger…_

_You never gave a damn about any of us! You lie, Lawli! You lie, lie, lie! _

Beyond growled as every moment that had shaped his life came back to haunt him….

_You lie…you never cared…it is one thing to not care, but it's another to lie about it…_

_Well, no matter…_

_I hate you now as well……_

_**About 8 Years ago……Wammy's house:**_

_"B!!" Said man being called ignored the call of his "name", turning over in his bed._

_"A…it's early. Can't you keep it down?" B softly called, glancing at the clock, seeing the time was a quarter past seven. The 12 year old was tired, and needed his sleep._

_"B, just get up!" A called again, and B guessed that if he opened his eyes, he'd see the bubbly dirty- blonde boy jumping up and down on the bed. A normally wasn't so hyperactive and happy, but when he was, it was a happy sight to his roommate._

_"…Give me a reason why?" The brown-haired sleeping boy called._

_"L's here!" _

_B shot up immediately, his middle-length brunette locks that fell almost to his shoulders moved elegantly with his body._

_"Tell me you are NOT joking, A." _

_"Huh!? Why would I joke about THAT!? Our hero, our idol, is here, B, let's go see if we can see him!"_

_B didn't hesitate and he jumped out of bed and ran down the long corridor behind A. It was quiet in the hall, but B hypothesized that the majority of the children were still slumbering in their rooms._

_"I think he's in here…Room 13A…" A whispered as they came to the door, which was open just a crack. B heard voices, two to be exact, and one he instantly recognized as Watari._

_"L…you will be meeting with the top children in line for succession early this afternoon, is that alright with you?"_

_The other voice calmly replied, "Yes, I really have no choice, do I? But then again…it is best that I do so. I need to be personable with the children somewhat." _

_B softly gasped as the older man's voice rang in his ears like a beautiful melody, or a soft, gentle touch caressing his face with silken hands or a soft, cherry lips._

_Watari gave a slight chuckle, "Yes, you should L. It is for the best. I know you are only sixteen, but still…these children may one day succeed you."_

_"Not 'may' Watari, they WILL. But that shall not be for a while, hopefully; sadly, I do know that many want me dead."_

_Dead…? B wondered. Who would want this man with the voice of a thousand seraphim __**dead**__?_

_"I know, L…but all of these children are capable, believe me."_

_That was it for B; he had to see the man now. Just…at least a fleeting glance._

_So he moved closer to the crack in the door, peering slowly in. _

_  
"B, what are you-" A whispered, but the blue-eyed boy stopped when he saw the other boy's eyes widen to epic proportions._

_B stared secretly in the other, and was in pure joyous shock._

_The young man called L had dark raven hair, and B could see the older one's ebony eyes that shone like diamonds. Dressed in baggy jeans and an old three-quarters length sleeves white shirt, the teenage L crouched upon the large bed while conversing with his guardian._

_B swore to himself he'd never forget the sight of this man…_

_He was just simply……gorgeous. There was no other word to describe him. _

_Perhaps an eleven-year old boy should not feel that for another sixteen-year old man, but the child was incapable of feeling anything else._

_"Hey, let me see him!" A whispered, but B ignored him, only showing the other one a finger, signaling him to wait a minute._

_B continued to stare at the other man, looking at the name floating above his head. A name only he would forever know……_

_L Lawliet………_

_Beautiful……absolutely beautiful……B whispered in his mind. _

_Lawliet…B promised he would remember that name forever……_

_"Hey, can I see him now?!" A whispered softly, and B nodded, taking a small step back for his only friend to take a glance at the man whom B loved and admired immensely. _

_Both were true; A was his only friend, and he had admired L ever since he had come to Wammy's, ever since he'd first heard of him._

_A had accepted him without hesitation, it was A's nature and personality, and Beyond thanked the stars that at least one being here on this earth cared about him, and didn't care if he was "different". That had been the word that had spread around Wammy's when he had arrived; that B was "different"; his personality, "different", his actions, "different". His "eyes"…"different"._

_And A never cared…………_

_"Let's head back B! We don't want to get caught, right?!" A whispered, and tugged B back to their room._

_He never would forget the sight of that beautiful young detective…that is what he swore to himself as he and his only friend ran happily back to their room._

_Yes……his only friend……_

Beyond cringed as A came back into his mind; he hadn't thought about the boy for years.

He also tried to not think about the day he first set his sights on L; that was just as hard to stomach. Trying to stomach the idea that he had once had complete admiration for that man was like trying to swallow a tire. Unbearable.

B would admit it; there was some part of him that still admired L. If he didn't, why go to all this trouble of keeping him alive? But the hatred was overshadowing any compassion quickly, like that of a motion of a tidal wave…….

The hatred was quickly approaching its peak…….

And it had been blooming for years….ever since his arrival at Wammy's House……

_**About 16 years ago….Wammy's House:**_

_Beyond didn't exactly remember the day he arrived at Wammy's. Being barely three, he could not remember that day one-hundred percent, per se, but he remembered voices and sounds. _

_Crystal clear voices and sounds………_

_"His eyes; look at them! What……are you sure we should take him in, Mr. Wammy?" One of the nurses called out._

_Little Beyond glanced up at the old gentleman in front of him, his blood-red eyes staring upon the face and name………_

_Quillish Wammy………what a name……B wondered silently in his head. He had gotten used to the Eyes……his parents had never known about them……or did they? B could never tell, for they had hated Beyond with passion……was it because of the Eyes? They had never mentioned them………not even when they died in that accident._

_Right in front of B………and he had seen it coming……………_

_He'd seen their numbers run out._

_The tot also didn't know how he'd acquired the Eyes; all he knew was what they were (again, he did not know how he knew…perhaps it was automatic knowledge at acquiring the Eyes?) and what he saw. _

_"He shall be a welcome addition to the family, Carol." The old man told the nurse at his side, "Perhaps one day he might even surpass L……"_

_"If you say so…" The woman doubted her "boss", and it showed in her tone._

_Months, no, years went by and the "warm welcome" had never come._

_But that wasn't a surprise……Beyond knew people hated him, and it wasn't even because of his Eyes, for no one knew of them._

_It was just because he was "different", the one word which he despised more than anything else._

_But that was alright, B kept to himself; he needed to……_

_For once he'd heard about L, he wanted to be great enough to obtain L's respect and admiration………_

_And once he met A, that didn't change. He still wanted L's affection; he was all that mattered to him………_

_All that mattered………_

"Affection….what bull. I didn't want affection." The copy whispered to himself as he continued to watch L, who was now trying to sit up, but winced and softly screamed in pain, which was joyous music to Beyond's ears.

"I wanted respect. Nothing more……"

Oh, if only Beyond could see he was lying to **himself**……….

_**About 8 years ago…..Wammy's House….same day as before…..:**_

_"L, this is A, and this is B." Watari had shuffled them into L's room, both young boys _

_standing with a smile on their faces._

_"I see…" L didn't smile, frown, or…anything. His face was an emotionless mask, but B didn't care. This was __**L**__,__** the**__ L…__**his **__L. The one he'd work so hard for, studied for, just so L could look at him with a smile and care about him. He was the only one B needed to care about him._

_"If I can Watari, may I speak with A, in private?"_

_"Of course." Watari nodded, and took B's hand, and the dark-haired boy became worried._

_"A, I-" Beyond started to say, but Watari dragged him out took quickly, and he only saw A's caring, happy, yet somewhat worried face as the door slammed._

_It would be the last time B would see A that happy………ever._

_About thirty minutes passed, and B had been sitting outside the room on a wooden bench next to Watari. _

_A somber A opened the door quietly; a sad smile on his face, and B was worried,_

_"A?! What's wrong?!" He nearly shouted at the other._

_"Hm? Oh…nothing. I just have more work to do……Hope I see you later, B."_

_The young child walked off, and B saw him head towards the library, and heard the door slam a moment later._

_"You can come in now, B." L softly ordered, and the child hopped down from the bench, and entered the room as L shut the door behind them._

_The teenage raven seated himself upon the bed, while B took a small seat near a desk._

_  
"I've heard so much about you, Backup. You've come very far, and have overcome so much……" L told the other._

_"Thank you L, it's such an honor…wait, what did you call me?" It was the beginning of the storm._

_"Backup. That is what I called you."_

_"…Why would you call me that? My name isn't Backup, it's Beyo-"_

_"I know what your name is. And I shall be calling you Backup or B."_

_Something inside Beyond instantly cracked just then; like…glass shattering, his heart was shattering._

_That's not my name………_

_That's not my name………_

_That's not my name………_

_"That's not my name!!" He shouted at his idol, "Is that all I am to you!? Just…Backup?!"_

_"B, please, do not look at this the wrong way-"_

"Wrong way?! That IS all I am to you, isn't it?! If A fails, I'm your "Backup"!" The young child felt tears welling up. "You don't even notice who I am, do you?!"

_"I do notice you. I've been seeing you work so hard, and-"_

"I worked so hard so you could notice me! So I could be Beyond to you, not Backup!!" The child was now hysterical, "You will notice me, L! You have to!"

_"I do! What do you mean?! Backup, explain-"_

_B wailed at the name, hands clutching his head, "I'm not that. I'm not that. I'm not __**that! **__And what did you do to A?! He…He acted differently! What did you do to my friend?! My only friend!"_

_"I did nothing! What are you talking about?! I only told him to work harder!?" L was now scared about the hysterical child; what had he said wrong?_

_"LIAR!! A IS DIFFERENT! I can see it in his eyes!" Young B began to sob, "No matter…I'll work hard…And you'll notice me eventually, I swear! I swear it, L…" He whispered the next word, "Lawliet……"_

_L audibly gasped, hoping his hearing was mistaken…_

_But he didn't have time to question B, as the child flung open the door, and fled the room, running back to his room._

_"B! Please, come back!" L yelled after him, but didn't follow……_

_Maybe he should have……maybe he shouldn't have……_

_Maybe it wouldn't have prevented the coming hurricane of doom………_

Beyond's hands clenched into fists, remembering that day.

He had started to hate L that day….but he still respected him enough to want L to look up to him, to admire him, to…adore him in a way.

For he still adored L at that time……adored?

"I adored no one……nor did I want adoration…." The nineteen year old jam lover whispered softly…

And it was another lie…….another lie to himself…..

_**About 8 years ago, three and a half weeks after first encounter with L:**_

_"A, how long have you been in there?" B called from outside the library door, which was again locked, for the twentieth time in the past three and a half weeks._

_"I'm busy, B. Just go." A ordered the young child, and Beyond began to worry. _

_A had been working too hard; he could see it in the other's eyes. When he did come out of the library or study hall or classroom or even their own bedroom, the dirty-blonde boy looked ragged and stressed to immense proportions. _

_It was scaring Beyond……_

_"A, you know you're working too hard. I know you really want to succeed L, but-"  
_

_"You don't understand, B! I need to work harder! L's counting on me, __**me **__to succeed him if something goes wrong! He __**needs**__ me! You should be working hard too!"_

_"I am, A! I'm just not stressing myself out! I do work hard, but I also go outside once and awhile, or just take it easy! Or eat…when's the last time you ate, A?! I'm worried about you, I don't want to lose my only friend!"_

_"Then go make more?" A snapped, and B visibly flinched. A had never said anything like that to him before! Never!_

_"I…You know I can't. They hate me…and my red eyes; and just because I like some dark thing and because I'm not sociable. They-"_

_"You can always change, B."_

_Beyond actually backed up a step from the door, as if it was a lethal disease._

_"W-What?! You always told me to never change! A, what's happened to you!?"_

"I woke up…? And maybe you should-"

"How can you say that?! What happened to you A?! The A who was my best friend?!" B screamed, tears starting to come forth.

_"Nothing, B, you need to calm down. Look, I-"_

_But Beyond had already run away from the door, and when A opened it, nothing could be seen, and only B's retreating footsteps could be heard._

_It was sad…B was never to know it, but if he hadn't fled, he would have seen A crying…_

_And hear him whisper:_

_"I'm sorry…I'm sorry B…c-come back…"_

_But he didn't. And he never would._

_All he heard was the library door slamming again._

Thinking about A's final rejection was as if he was taking another stab to the heart; it hurt like hell. Even when A had pushed him away back then, B still thought of him as a friend, even though A's words had hurt like burns from the Ninth Circles itself….

No matter…A was gone…

Forever…

And B should've seen it coming. He could see A's death date after all…..

But he had pushed it to the back of his head……

Like a sad little fool…..

_**About 8 years ago, five days after encounter with A at Library, around 7:15 PM:**_

_"Hey, A, are you in there?" B knocked on the bedroom door once he had noticed A was not in any of the other rooms. He hadn't seen him in five days, since their run-in near the library, and Beyond was even more worried now._

_"A, can you open the door? Please?" The dark-brown haired boy jiggled the knob to find that the door was unlocked._

_"Hey, A, are you…AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"_

_As Beyond opened the door, he fell to the ground with a blood-curling scream that seemed to shatter glass and break hearts at the wailing noise._

"A!! NO!" Beyond screams fell on deaf ears…

_For the hanging body of A, hung tight from a noose the boy had tied and had hung from the ceiling fan, dangled there, lifeless and cold._

_And Beyond screamed again, and continued to scream as the helpers and nurses of Wammy's dragged him away from the room._

_He continued to scream as A's body was taken from the room, and placed in another._

_He screamed into the deadly night………_

A part of B's heart died that day; he figured it was the beginning of his downfall into hatred and rage.

Not madness though, no, Beyond knew he was not insane….no matter who told him otherwise.

Back then, he blamed L for A's death, he was the one who told him about working harder, right?! Though, then, he still wanted to get L's compassion and admiration…

He still had hope…..

But he should have known….

That that hope would die along with A…

_**A day after the discovery of A's body…..6 PM: **_

_It was raining on the evening of A's funeral. How ironic, it was just like those sad movies…_

_And B's life was beginning to feel more and more like a movie every day…_

_While the other children sobbed under their own umbrellas, or those being held by the helpers, B stood there, in the pouring rain, not shedding a tear._

_It wasn't that B was not sad; he just found it hard to cry…he always had. _

_The young jam lover didn't even give a gaze to the other children; he knew they would hate him now. That they would blame him for A's death, for A's suffering._

_When he had had nothing to do with it……or so he hoped._

_But he couldn't help wonder how the mistreatment would escalate…how would it evolve? Would he be beaten up more? Would he still be able to retire to him room in peace, with books, jam, and the Wara Ningyo that he had taken up to making in his frail, but strong hands._

_No matter…it would be inevitable that their hatred would boil over eventually. That was hatred's goal: Gather, Grow, and eventually………_

_Suffocate……_

_The young B did manage to look to his right, and there he saw his hero, for the second time:_

_L, standing there in the grass, barefoot, but under an umbrella held by Quillish Wammy._

_He held no emotion in his eyes, nor his lips or his face as a whole._

_The young L just stood there, staring as A's casket was lowered into the casket on the Wammy House's property._

_It was the first death in years……years._

_Something stung in B's heart as his idol showed no emotion; for even some of the astute others might be able to tell that he himself was hurt, but L?_

_The young man was a blank canvas…and it mad Beyond angry. _

_His first successor died! By his __**own**__ hand for Heaven's sake! Could he not at least show some sympathy?! Empathy?! ANYTHING?!_

_Beyond actually gathered the courage and stepped towards his idol silently; the other not even glancing at him when he was not even two feet away._

_"He…A…is dead." B stated coldly, turning his head again as the diggers began tossing the dirt back into the grave._

_"I know." L stated matter-of-factly, as if he was speaking of the weather or the latest news. _

_"…So? Do…Don't you care, L?" Beyond knew he shouldn't be talking that blatantly to L, THE L…but B was finally losing his cool._

_"Of course I care Backup. A was my successor…but now we must move on to you."_

_That was it for Beyond, he finally snapped. The chords broke into pieces, and everything in his mind fell apart._

_"B…But he just died…and you're already talking about me…L, shouldn't you-"_

_"Someone such as yourself should not tell someone such as I what I should and should not due Backup."_

_And the chords shattered as they hit the ground…_

_It was then that Beyond lost every "love-esque " emotion for L…__  
_

_Everything turned to hate…_

_This man didn't care about him, nor A…or any of the children._

_Only himself and his succession..._

_It was clear to Beyond then that he would be nothing more than "Backup" to L; he could work forever, works so hard, do so much good……but it wouldn't matter._

_L still wouldn't give a damn about him…_

_He could stop cancer or apartheid or…chaos! Anything!_

_And L would still be the uncaring man that he was……_

_And this was only at sixteen……B didn't want to know what the man would be like in eight, ten years…_

_So he ran from the backyard, back inside…he could feel the glares of the others on his back._

_He also thought he heard L call his name, his __**real **__name…but, hell, that would never happen… _

_From that point on, Beyond did not want L's love, L's compassion, L's esteemed admiration…_

_He didn't want L in anyway…_

_He wanted to crush him, like the ant on the ground that had strayed to close to the bratty child…_

_He would get L to notice him, think about him, then…_

_Crush him. Destroy him._

_Surpass him…………_

_If L wanted a successor so badly, then B would give it to him..._

_In the most horrific, unimaginable ways…_

_That's why, secretly, he planned L's downfall… _

_Beyond stayed at Wammy's for another three years…then he fled, disappearing for many years._

_In that time, B continued to plan, plan oh so carefully………_

_That's when he changed his appearance too; L's image was completely imprinted into his brain, never to be erased. _

_And it was easy to "convince" the stylist at the hair salon to make himself exactly like L…all he had to do was draw a picture, use a knife (The stylist was insisting that they did not do such things at that salon), and bam…_

_A complete replica…_

_A complete copy………………_

_That was the whole reason for the LABB murders…to surpass L. To dominate him and to exterminate him. Simple as that._

_And when Beyond had failed, when L had caught him…_

_It tore him to pieces even further…Like and old rag doll being torn up by animals even more._

_Many said that surpassing L became an obsession for Beyond…………_

_But the copy denied that charge, and continued his struggling conquest to surpass the one he despised the most……_

_**December of 2003, Outside LA Prison, During the Beginning of the Kira Case:**_

_He'd finally escaped…stupid guards…and what a repulsive security system; it made Beyond laugh._

_Now, it was time to run………_

_It was time to continue the hunt for his prey, his pretty little prey……_

_First, he would try Europe………And then move on from there……_

_**One Month After Beyond's escape, an Apartment Complex in New York, An apartment rented out under a fake name:**_

_B had sources…very good sources._

_So when he received a letter from a "source" at the LA prison, stating a person similar looking to L had shown up, asking to see his "body", he did not buy it for a moment, and was disappointed that his "source" had let him down. _

_It was nice to see though, that the men at the LA prison were handling it well…claiming that he was "dead", while in all honesty, they knew he had escaped; in fact, Beyond had encountered some of those guards on his escape…and with a few threatening words, they had bowed to his whim. They had stated he had died on January twenty-first, two thousand and four, due to a hear attack, just like he had ordered._

_How sweet…just like strawberry jam._

_But his one source, a thirty-some year old guard…well, B certainly couldn't go back and kill him, now could he? He was very disappointed that the guard had made such a blatant lie. For there was no chance, for all of the money and gold in the world, that L Lawliet would show up to see his body._

_No matter…that guard's time was almost up anyway……_

_B had seen his numbers slowly ticking down……_

_**Flight to Japan, 12:45 AM:**_

_Beyond had seen the Kira case come to light over the internet; he had heard L's announcement over the internet…the one where he had challenged Kira…_

_Stupid L, he should have known that his large announcement would be leaked onto the web…Beyond watched it over and over._

_And even when he arrived in Japan, the news stations replayed it repeatedly; somehow, someone had been able to record it and it could be seen repeatedly all over the Kanto._

_But B knew L loved that………he wanted his message spread across not just the Kanto are, but the entire nation and world……_

_Beyond had chuckled to himself on that flight……_

_It was only a matter of time, Lawliet……_

_He was coming………_

_Coming for him……_

And that was it….Beyond remembered it all.

He was awaken out of his reverie when the detective in the other room gave a painful groan as he sat up and placed the shirt on his lithe body.

Beyond watched as the other tried to move his legs, but they were still immobile; the copy smiled at L's distressed sigh, that drug was not to wear off for another hour at least.

It was time for Beyond to have some more fun…..

With that, the jam-lover gave an eerie cackle, and ran to a box in that hall to get what he needed.

OoOOOooOOOOOoOOOOOOOOoOOOOOooO

L had not a clue as to how long it had been since Beyond had….had…..

Hell, he could not say it. It was too painful to put into words. Too painful to even think about….

The raven wondered if he was still bleeding; he couldn't feel the blood anymore, but still. It was there, the pain was still there.

Before any more thoughts could scramble into the young genius' mind, the south door opened with a slam.

There stood Beyond, a maniacal smile gracing his lips…..

And a, thick, black whip in his bony, pale hands.

"No…" L whispered, his eyes alight with fear. B's previous actions had broken all his walls; he found it hard to hide his emotions like he normally did.

"Yes, Lawli….it's BACKUP'S playtime." Beyond whispered, with much emphasis on his hated surname, "And I'm going to get some information out of you as well."

"W…What do you want to know?!"

"Oh, it's so cute how your fear comes out now….and it's just for me, too! Do you know how happy that makes me…?" B asked sweetly as he came closer to the frozen detective, whose ebony eyes had widen epically again, for another time that day……

"You're sick….." L whispered, "A sick bas-"

A loud snap echoed in the warehouse as the whip had cracked across L's porcelain face, leaving a thin gash across his right cheek.

"Now, now…." B bent close to L's ear, whispering, "I don't want to damage your pretty face Lawli….so I suggest you let me talk for a while, okay?

"Beyond…..s-stop…" He whispered, and B let that remark slide, for it was a plea.

And Beyond loved pleas……even more so when the pleader was L…..

With two quick motions, the copy had handcuffed his captive again, who began to shiver with fear for the second time that day…

Beyond's left hand, the right one holding the whip, then wandered to the hem of L's shirt, gently, carefully, pulling it up, revealing a thin, bony torso.

"So pretty……let's get rid of some of its purity, Lawli……" He placed a soft angle kiss right in the middle of L's chest, and B heard the other give a soft gasp….of fear? Of pleasure? It was hard to discern what exactly…..

"Beyond, what…."

SNAP

The whip cracked over L's body, and the raven let out a piercing scream; he had thought all he screaming had silenced his throat somewhat, but that had been a mistake…a big one.

"It hurts, doesn't it, Lawli!? Doesn't it?!" B screamed as he cracked the whip again, a second bloody gash forming on the raven.

"AH! Yes, it does! Stop it! What….what do you want?!" L yelled back at the other, but that only caused Beyond to whip him again.

"WHY!?" The jam-lover shouted, whipping again, "TELL ME WHY?!"

"W…Why what?" L croaked out as another painful scream echoed throughout the room and the entire building.

"YOU KNOW WHAT, L! TELL ME!" Three painful cracks of the whip sounded out, and tears flowed from the raven's eyes.

"You mean…A?! You?! Myself!? All of it?! I…I don't know Beyond!"

Beyond was about to whip the man again, but halted his movements at the mention of his deceased friend.

"What?" He snapped, "What nonsense are you spewing, L?"

The detective began to sob, his upper body shaking uncontrollably.

"You….You're doing this for A, right? You….still blame me…do…d-do you…n-not?"

"Bull, L! A has nothing to do with this! And even if he did, I have my own reasons for this!" B screamed, but he stopped the whipping momentarily….for a reason even he didn't know.

"…I can see it in your eyes, B….you blame me…and…." L cut himself off as the pain was getting too much for his body, but hesitantly continued, "You…think….I never…cared about you…You may be Beyond, and I still may be a cold person, but I can read you, Beyond…" The raven whispered.

_What's he doing…!? Is he messing with me…!?_

"Shut up, L! I…I don't know what you're talking about!" Beyond heard himself falter, and he cursed himself inwardly. This….creature…should not be affecting him!

"Y…You do, though. I can see the sadness in your eyes Beyond…."

"I do not **think** you never cared about me; I **know** you never cared about me! And A either! You didn't even shed any tears at his funeral! But here you are, shedding tears for your pathetic self! That's all you care about, yourself!"

Another crack of the whip sounded, and L screamed again, turning his head away from Beyond.

"I…..I know."

Beyond blinked, and he felt his mouth opening in shock.

"W…What?" He quietly asked the chained bird.

"I know….I know I didn't cry. It is one of the biggest regrets of my life."

_He's lying, he's lying, he's lying! Don't listen, just don't! Don't be a fool!_

But B just stood there….staring, as L continued.

"I am a cold, vile person….I know that, Beyond, you did not need to force me to tell you that."

_I didn't want you to say that…! Wait, what are you saying…!? What…!? _

"I know it is my fault A died…I put too much pressure on him on our first meeting…and…." L slowly turned his head to stare directly into B's eyes, "I know that….it is my fault…you…became….you. And I…caused the hatred you feel for me…"

_Stop it, stop it, stop it…! Don't fall for his lies..! He's just saying this to get to you…!_

_No, is he…?! Look at his eyes, he's weeping…!! He's…honestly weeping..! For you…! _

_He's crying because he is in pain, don't be an idiot……_

_But…is this not what I wanted…? His…no, I didn't want his tears…! I…I wanted…_

_You wanted his pain, moron…! You want him to suffer, and still do…! Do NOT think there is real emotion behind those tears…!_

_I wanted him to feel bad, yes, but…but…_

_But nothing, now whip him again…!_

Beyond listened to his inner thoughts, and with a wail, he lunged the whip at L's body, causing the other to scream again, a shrill scream.

"B…Beyond….."

"You're lying, L! You are, stop it!"

Four more snaps of the whip, and four more yells of painful agony…..

"I…I am not…….." L whispered, and he knew he was close to losing consciousness. The pain from before, and the pain now…it…it was becoming too much for his body and mind, along with his soul.

"B…Beyond…..I….I…..know…how…e-evil I am…..and….what I did to you….and…"

"SHUT UP!!" Repetitive whipping sounded out, and Beyond lost count after five cracks of the whip against the now very bloody torso.

"I….I'm……sorry……" L whispered softly, and it caused Beyond to freeze.

"You're…what? L? L!?"

But L had already fallen unconscious due to the agony.

_He…he said it…I thought he was too prideful to say it, but-_

_Stupid fool, he's just trying to use you…!_

_He…he said he was evil…then…then what-_

"Then what does he think of me?" Beyond whispered, his red-eyes shining with a rainbow of emotions.

L's chest continued to bleed, and instantly, and inexplicably, B found himself taking off his own shirt, placing it on L's chest, dotting up some of the blood.

"I'm not doing this to be, kind….I just don't want you to bleed to death before I'm through with you." He whispered more to himself than L.

_Then why did you stop whipping him…? You could have gone on, yes?_

"It wouldn't be worth it if I couldn't see his face and hear his voice…He needs to suffer just like I did." Beyond voiced, contradicting his inner thoughts…or was it his heart? The heart that he thought he had frozen?

_I think he does care…but he doesn't know what to do…can't you see that?_

"All I see is a selfish man….a…a selfish, egotistical man, who-"

_And said selfish, egotistical man is the man you once loved…do you still deny it?_

B gasped; where had **that **thought come from?!

Instantly, the jam-lover ran from the room, leaving his article of clothing on L's limp body, slamming the door behind him.

_No! That side of me died years ago! It…it died with A! It did, it did! _B screamed in his head. _Besides, an eleven-year old boy cannot feel love for a sixteen year old! I never felt anything for him! Never, never, never!_

The young man slumped against the wall, holding his head with both hands as conflicting thoughts echoed throughout his mind and body.

_But you wanted his love, didn't you?! You wanted HIM, and only him, to care, did you not?! You though he was the most beautiful man you had ever seen! You wanted him to hold you, hug you , and kiss you! You wanted him to love you!_

_NEVER! I never wanted anything! I…I was incapable of loving, and I still am! My heart is dead, and-_

_And his words are resurrecting it! ADMIT IT! JUST ADMIT IT!_

"NEVER!" Beyond screamed loudly, his body beginning to tremble with fear and sadness.

Was his weaker side coming to life again? That could **not** happen! He was here to destroy L, not to resurrect any feelings (if there were any in the first place, but there were none) for the man! Beyond had taken L here to crush him, surpass him, and destroy him! Nothing more, nothing less!

"Yes….nothing more….nothing less…" B repeated the mantra over and over, calming his mind and body…."Nothing more, nothing less."

The jam-lover curled up into a ball on the floor, hugging his knees, as he fell into a saddening, nightmare-filled sleep….

Again……

OooOOOoOOOoOOOOooOOOOOooOOooooOOoooooooooooOOOoO

**Miles away….Yagami Household, Raito's Room, 3:13 AM:**

_"Raito-kun is an excellent tennis player…"_

_"Raito-kun, you have a strong sense of justice…"_

_"Raito-kun, I suspect you of being Kira…"_

_"Raito…Raito, help!"_

_The brunette turned around as he heard L's words echoing in his head to see the raven, wide-eyes and fearful, being held by a menacing figure with blood-red eyes._

_"Raito, don't let me die! Don't let me die!" L croaked out as a black, claw-like hand grasped his thin throat._

_  
"Ryuzaki!" Raito shouted at the top of his lungs, running towards the other two, "Please, hang on!"_

_"You shall let your little raven die?" The mysterious figure cackled, "How sad…"_

_"No, no, I won't! I won't!" Raito shouted at the man, but as he continued to run, he could not feel himself getting any closer._

_The once pale man was now turning blue due to the chocking, and the Yagami boy's eyes widen._

_"Ryuzaki!!" He screamed again, causing the red-eyed menace to laugh._

_"Your little raven is mine now, boy…mine…"_

_Raito could see the detective's eyes begin to close, and with another shout, he-_

"Ryuzaki!"

Raito sat up in bed, gasping for air to enter his lungs at the nightmare…..

He had never dreamed about L before; what had that nightmare been about!? And….

_What was up with the words…? "Your little raven"? If it means, "My little victim", then yes, L is that…but…mine?! L is not mine…_

The college student felt his cheeks heat up at that thought, but he brushed the feeling aside.

_L…even when he's not here, he's haunting me…well, I'm sure it shall not last long. This dream I guess was somewhat expected; I mean, I did hear about his kidnapping today…so that thought was just in my mind; it was nothing more, nothing less…_

With that, Raito turned over to fall back into slumber….

The poor boy, though……

For he didn't realize there were more nightmares to come……..

OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooOOOo

A/n: Wow….Some interesting stuff here, yes?

B's thoughts are conflicting, but trust me, L is definitely going to be tortured and humiliated more….B is even more adamant now.

And Raito? Well….could that be his conscience? Oo Hm……

Anyway, review to let me know what you think, I hope you enjoyed this, and I'll see you soon!


	4. Animals

A/N: Welcome back lovely readers! We're back to gruesome tale of twisted minds, heart wrenching pasts and diseased love and obsession, with our little favorite psychopath leading the way! :D

Many of you enjoyed B's past, and my take on it, and I thank you greatly. Later on, L's past will come to life, and you'll see a tiny glimpse here, which is very important.

This chapter is dedicated to three of my friends on DeviantArt; one of them goes by the name The SacredPandaPuff here on , also known as DarkChocolateDreamer on dA. The other two are Choco-crunchies and ThorW on the DeviantArt; thanks for the inspiration you three! -

_Italics are inner thoughts_

_Italics with underlines represent B's conflicting thoughts_

Now, on with the show, and more reviews are welcomed! I love feedback; they're like to me how cake is to L. XD Enjoy! Oh, and this is pretty angsty and violent, and humiliating…..enjoy! D

_OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooOOOo_

_"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name_

_would smell as sweet…"_

_Romeo & Juliet, Act II, Scene II_

_OooOoooOooooOoooOOOoooooOooOoOOooOoooooOooOoOooOOoOooOOOoooo_

He really had never thought, in all his years, that waking up to the sunrise would be this difficult; nor did the man ever believe he would rue the rising sun, and wish for it be lower just a little bit longer.

But spread out on that rusty bed frame and that dirty mattress, L Lawliet wished he didn't have to face the coming day, the coming torture.

He kept his ebony orbs closed, the sun too bright for his worn, troubled eyes. The raven's breathing was stable, more stable than it had been in hours, if not the entire day.

L could finally move his legs, but was still incapacitated due to the chains around his ankles connecting him to the bed frame. But why should he bother moving? He had little strength left, and even if he wasn't chained, where would he go? Most likely, B was near by and would capture him and…violate him again to unearthly measures.

Violated…He had been violated by his own successor from long ago….

The thought made the raven wince, both externally and internally, even more so when he recalled the words he had spoken to his captor last night; the words of an apology…one that had been years in the making.

L never apologized, never. It was just unheard of, not thought of even in the wildest dreams of all who knew him, closely and not. The World's Greatest Detective was never wrong, and had never been wrong in the past.

…Except when it came to A and B.

He knew he had made mistakes with them; L had pushed them too hard, treated them like nothing…like worthless robots that were born, bred and designed to take over for him.

This was far from the case; that wasn't what they were, what they had been, at all.

They were human; and even though L sometimes thought of himself more as a machine than man, he knew those children had been pure blood mortal humans. And the way he had treated them….

He groaned when A appeared in his mind. Even though he had only met A twice, he met him again after their first encounter, L had been watching the child prodigy, the bubbly blonde boy with the cerulean eyes. A had great potential, amazing intelligence, and the luck, skills, and ideals that made him a perfect successor.

Until L had to ruin it all with his selfish attitude…..

God damn him and his attitudes and outlooks……If there even was a God to look down upon the raven with scorn.

And then there was B…..Beyond Birthday.

L knew that if that day he had said Beyond, or even just B, Beyond wouldn't hate him.

But, **NO**. NO, NO, NO!

He just HAD to say BACKUP.

Like B was only his backup if A failed; it had never been that.

Or at least….L did not **want** it to be that. But, in essence, it had turned out like that, had it not?

The whole situation had flown to Hell on the wings of the Devil's birds; the demons had taken the situation to a whole new level.

"….This is bad…." L whispered to himself. "I…I….."

The man had little strength, willpower, and heart left; B had shattered it all, but who could blame him? If the roles were switched, the raven hypothesized he would be acting just like B…..

And L remembered his words from the previous night; he truly had meant that apology. One of the only, and probably the biggest, regret that he had had was the treatment he had given his first two successors.

B….He hadn't deserved that, all of that. And L knew it.

But, many could think that the detective was just saying this because of the torture, correct?

Well…..that was not true.

L had always wanted to apologize, deep down in his soul he had; but the detective would be damned if he ever told another being that. It just wasn't expected of L Lawliet to apologize, let alone make mistakes that could cause a man to…

Go insane? Die? Both?

Yes, both.

A was dead, and B was most likely suffering from mental traits such as obsession, OCD, some forms of insanity and had obtained the mental capacity of a serial murderer.

Great…Just wonderfully great...

The raven knew, most likely, he would not be leaving this place alive, or at least not in the best physical and mental condition. L knew that Beyond loved "playing" with his victims, torturing them sweetly, making them beg for never-ending mercy that would never come to light. And then….

He would strike a deathly blow.

Lawliet felt himself visibly shiver, and once he felt he finally had the strength to, he completely opened his eyes and tried to sit up, groaning at the pain that coursed through his pasty body.

It was then that he noticed the black garment lying haphazardly upon his whipped chest, whose scars were finally beginning to coat over a little from the torture of the previous midnight hellhole.

"B….." The bony hands lightly grasped the shirt, holding it close to the cold, broken body and soul, "What am I going to do with you…?" L quietly whispered, and hugged the bloody shirt to himself. He could only hypothesize that the other had tried to wipe up his wounds once he had fallen unconscious.

But…for what purpose would B do this act? Why?

"Why indeed…?"

The hatred in B's eyes had clearly shown the other night, the anger and rage bubbling and boiling so clearly, you would have to be stupid not to notice it.

But…was this part of his toying mentality? Keep L alive as long as possible, and **then** kill him? Or...

Was this actually **real** compassion? Could it possibly be that? Was there a chance…..?

The raven laid back down on the bed, still holding B's shirt, and winced as his back hit the springy, dirty mattress. The pain was almost all too unbearable, but L had to keep reminding himself that he had experienced worse, had he not?

Well…he figured he had, but now, with being whipped, chained, humiliated, broken, and…raped, L had to be honest with himself and know that this, right here, was the absolute worst pain he had experienced in his twenty-four years of living.

Because it had broken his heart, body, and soul…..unlike every other pain he had felt and taken.

With a resigned sigh, the pallid man closed his eyes, trying to remain calm and keep an even breath.

Another thought came to L's mind; he would most likely have multiple scars on his chest due to last night, and wished a mirror was nearby so he could see, or at least wished he could feel his skin, for his feathery touch would be able to discern skin from scars.

But alas, neither was to happen, due to L's chains and no reflective surfaces to show him the truth; all he could do was guess.

_Scars…more…? Did I need more…?_

The raven was barely able to move his left arm, but had enough strength and room to, and placed his dexterous fingers on the left shoulder blade, near an old scar he had obtained years ago.

_"Momma…Papa…No…" A fire roared in the cold English city…_

_"Well…hello there, Little Lawli…Did you miss me…?" A cold voice L knew so well, the voice of a traitor._

_"You!? Stop it! Just…Just leave me alone!"……Tiny ebony orbs shed a fountain of tears…_

_And the raven's blood had flown freely…_

_"…They're dead, Lawliet……And that man is gone forever, I promise." An older gentleman's voice had calmly stated to the little boy and led him inside his new home…_

_Wammy's house…_

L snapped out of his reverie, his pitiful daydream with a cringe, and removed his hand away from the scar. He had promised himself long ago that he would never let any mortal being see that scar, nor hear his story.

That was his book; his and his alone. Only Watari knew, but he was the one exception. No matter how many times the children of Wammy's or anyone else ever pressed him about his past; he ended the conversation with a cold,

"That is none of your concern. My parents are dead, I am here, and that is it."

Another sigh….L realized he had not sighed this much in a very long time; longer than he could even remember.

The raven turned onto his right side, grimacing again at how broken he had become; L found it quite pitiful, but there was nothing he could do now.

His will had been broken; his Great Wall of a will, of a heart and strong soul and spirit had vanished in one swift motion; possibly never to return to their master…..

All thanks to Beyond Birthday…..

OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooOOOo

The cold drafty hallway hit B's senses first and instinct went into overdrive, his body beginning to shiver as his blood-eyes opened to the dawn's light.

Remembering he had curled up into himself after fighting with his own conscience, Beyond shivered, both at being half bare and cold, and last night had scared his inner psyche.

_I can't back down now…Lawli needs to be punished…You shall show no mercy to him; never in a million years shall you show that man mercy………_

The copy repeated his mantra, his oath, his promise again and again, hoping that any doubts that had begun to bloom in his subconscious, for some foreign reason. However they had appeared there, they needed to die, just like everything else.

Standing quickly, the younger man of the two wandered into the room he had chosen for himself, smaller than the one L resided in, and quickly opened a box and grabbed another black shirt, slipping it on his pale body that was all to similar to his idol and hostage.

Unfortunately, once B had slipped that on, he finally noticed the mirror in front of him; he really wished he hadn't, for he despised mirrors, and had wanted to take it out of the room, but he had become all too…."distracted" by little Lawliet in the other room.

The man walked closer to the glass surface, running a cold hand down the reflective glass and the copy that stared back at him.

Through B's ruby eyes, his vision red as the blood which he sought was his hated reflection and his name, floating there like a buoy in the sea.

_Beyond Birthday…………_

But no numbers; he could never see his own lifespan, most likely as an effect of the Shinigami Eyes….

Perhaps it was for the greater good, for who wants to know their own death time?

Besides…….

B was much happier watching other people's lives tick away, second by second, day by day, until….

The church bells rang as they were lowered into the ground.

The bony hand moving down the mirror stopped, and B stared into himself, the red reflected eyes looking right back into the real ones.

Beyond could feel frustration building up in his body; all of the events of the past hours and day were catching up to him, and his hatred of reflections brought it to ahead.

In a flash, B curled his hand into a fist, slamming it into the glass, shattering it into a million little pieces, which fell to the ground like crystal rain.

The act left a bloody hand for Beyond and the copy just stared as drops of blood fell from his pallid skin onto the dirty floor, and some spots rained down upon his clothes like the tears of fallen angels, sobbing that their God had fallen…..

The murderer just continued to stare at his appendages and the palm of his left hand, and after a moment, brought the hand to his lips, and began to gently lick and kiss his wound, tasting the metallic life substance, vital to all, cherished by few.

Except for Beyond; B cherished all blood, including his own.

And he only ravished after one person's blood: L Lawliet.

A snicker settled upon the young man's lips as L entered his mind again, for the millionth time in the past years. That man was never leaving his brain; it was if he had settled permanent residence there upon B's soul and mind.

The blood continued to rain down from the bleeding hand, but Beyond didn't care. A bloody hand was nothing to him; he was past the point of feeling pain.

So he places his lips to the hand one last time, pressing firmly this time, hoping to coat his mouth with as much of the life substance as possible.

B pulled back finally, and smirked down at the shattered mirror, which still showed his reflection even in the shattered, miniscule pieces. His lips were a bright ruby red, matching his eyes perfectly.

The killer shivered with excitement, trying to contain the deep cackle that was beginning to echo from within his body and throat; his mouth in a snicker so deep, it would scare all those who would see it.

Beyond could not hold in it any more, and let out his deathly laugh, loud and proud, echoing throughout the entire warehouse.

"KYAHAHAHAHAHA! LAAAWWLIII!! KYAHAHAHAHA!!"

The copy continued his laugh for some minutes until finally he took a panting breath, a few giggles emitting from his bloody lips, his bony shoulders still shaking a little from the hysteria and ecstasy that was coursing through B's veins; the young man gave a small glance to the clock on his right as his high was beginning to dissipate.

"Mmm….it's seven AM. It's Little Lawli's feeding time." Beyond whispered to himself, and hurried over to the little refrigerator he had stolen from a nearby store.

It was his pet's feeding time…….

OooOOOOoOoOOOooOOOOOOoooo

L's ebony-gray orbs had widened when the echo of Beyond's laugh had reached his ears a few moments before; his hands grasped the other's shirt tighter, for no reason other than to hold something somewhat soft and fairly comforting…..even if it **was **Beyond's.

_Something is coming…I can sense it……I really can…_

Lawliet felt his heart-rate speed up, and his body began to shiver in primordial fear of some unholy horror; a horror that even he couldn't comprehend.

Was this it? That laugh….and the cry of his name…..did it mean…….?

Did it mean this was L Lawliet's last moment…?

The raven had never been afraid of death before, it was just a simple fact to him, like birth, life, and living.

You are born, you live, and then you die. Plain and simple, clear as day, yes?

But now….now that Beyond had broken down his walls, had tortured his soul, mind and body…..

L knew he was not ready to die….L knew he was not ready to die! There was so much left to accomplish! He had the Kira case, the job of picking a successor, and possibly…even be happy! For once in his damned, cursed life, maybe L Lawliet could work to find happiness; just maybe he could! The raven knew that was important now, he had never seen it before, but really, now it was as clear as day……

But...

What choice did he have if this was the moment? The detective had no strength left, and his entire strong will was gone.

L let out a resigned sigh, knowing that whatever B's next move was to be, he could not fight it for many a reason; one, his survival could possibly depend on it, for he was not ready to give up living even if it was foolish to hang onto that will, and two…L just knew he could never fight was to come, not now. Not after all that had happen. Not after being broken……

Again……

He had barely been put back together last time after….that. And now, here he was again, a shattered mess.

And most likely, L would not be able to be put together this time……

No matter how strong the metaphoric glue.

And B knew this……Beyond could read him as clear as day; well…he mostly could.

And that is why Lawliet knew B planned to milk this opportunity to its fullest; take complete control and domination over L's body and spirit.

That is why the detective curled up more into himself, his arms still hanging tightly from those wretched chains; the older man promised himself he would not shed a tear, but it was so hard not to….

So this is what it felt like to be the victim of a man who would most likely cause his ultimate demise.

The raven only exited his fear when a small grumble in his stomach sounded out.

…_Yes…I have not eaten in hours…nor drank any liquids…Does he plan to starve me?_

A slow and painful death due to starvation sounded far from Beyond's style, but it was still possible. Scarily, it was still possible.

It was then the north door creaked open, and Beyond stood menacingly in the doorway, a smirk upon his red-stained lips; once L had risen up somewhat to look the other straight in the eyes, he gasped at the ruby-red mouth, and remembered hearing something shatter moments ago. The midnight orbs then wandered to the copy's left hand, from which blood flowed like a river.

"….B-Beyond…..what…?" L managed to choke out, fear and weakness strangling his once strong voice.

"Shh….Lawli should save his strength. We still have much to do, Little Lawli." B whispered as he came closer to the other pallid man, and bent down low, his lips near L's forehead.

_"Little Lawli…why don't you come play with me?" A dark chuckle came from the man standing over the child. _

_"NO! Leave me alone!"_

The suppressed memory came floating back up to the surface, and L involuntarily shivered; but Beyond's proximity did not help the detective's fears either.

"….You shiver, L. Do I scare you that much?" B whispered, his ruby gems a hurricane of emotions, and L had neither the strength nor determination to decipher each one.

"…It's just-"

But B cut him off when those bloody lips gently kissed L's pallid and bruised forehead, the man's bony hands gently holding the detective's dark-as-night locks.

The lips felt warm against the cold, drafty skin of Lawliet and he audibly let out a small gasp at the action and the feeling of the warm lips upon his own being.

Beyond removed his mouth from L's body a moment later, and smirked when some blood remained upon L's skin.

"Is my Lawli hungry? Well….just wait here. I shall return to you…" B whispered and headed back to the entrance from which he had come, and L could hear him rustling around in the other room, or hall…or whatever that was.

But the detective's orbs continued to be widened in shock and were only somewhat focused on the ceiling and the Wara Ningyo above him; he was still reeling from B's display of "affection", if it could be called that.

B's soft footsteps sounded out again, and L slowly lifted his head up to eye the younger man, and his jaw dropped.

"Oh….Oh God…No."

"Oh, yes, Lawli. I did you say you were my little pet, did I not?" Beyond let out a little chuckle as he swung the dog collar with an attached leash on it around twice. "And isn't this a nice one….I bought it just for you, for us."

The long chain of a leash was just that, a long silver chain that stretched a few feet out onto the warehouse's dirty metal ground; connect to a somewhat small collar edged with multiple tiny, pointed spikes, similar to a bull dog's collar seen commonly in America.

"Beyond….is…this necessary?" The ebony-locked man's eyes were shining with fear and trepidation again, even more so when B walked closer and nodded his head.

"Of course it is; I said you are my pet. Remember my words, L. You should…if your memory becomes poor, it could cost you your life, you know…."

In a quick motion, before L had even time to react, Beyond had snapped the collar upon his lithe neck tightly, leaving little room for the passage of air or words. The detective grimaced at the new intrusion into his personal space.

"You'll get used to it Lawliet." B snapped somewhat coldly, annoyed in some ways at L's struggling, but relishing in it in other ways.

A silver key appeared from the copy's jeans and swiftly, he undid the cuffs connected to L's wrist, but the moment they were freed, Beyond's own hands clamped firmly down upon the temporarily freed wrists of the other.

"I don't expect you to put up a fight, L," B hissed savagely, going over and grabbing the older being's face, bringing it inches from his own, "You do not have the strength or the will to do so; You should also know that making any move, deadly or otherwise upon my being, or even attempting to do so, could affect when, how and **if **I kill you, understood? I'm only leaving the handcuffs off because even** dogs** need free range to walk."

L didn't respond he only just stared into those eyes murderously shining above his own; eyes from which the raven could see his own death taking place, frightening him to far distant means.

The detective just continued to stare at nothingness above him, and heard the quiet jingles of the cuffs connected to his ankles being undone.

The man was only awoken out of his self-induced trance when Beyond gave a harsh tug upon the collar's chain, and L's body slammed into the ground with a thud and a groan.

"Now, now Lawli….get up. Immediately." Another sharp pull of the chain and after a few footsteps from Beyond's bare feet, L found himself on all fours, staring fearfully into B's eyes.

"My little pretty pet……" Beyond cast an eerie smile to his hostage, and a pale hand reached out and combed through L's wild hair; the hand then trailing down and lightly, then roughly griping the detective's chin , "So pretty…but…with a little beauty, a little pain must fall."

B tugged on the chain again, and L gasped as the collar closed around his throat, his eyes widening like saucers at the pain.

"Come L." The serial murderer barked the order, tugging at the chain again, which in itself was an order, "And don't think you'll be walking on two feet either…."

With a resigned sigh, L knew what that meant; as if he wasn't already humiliated enough.

With his soul crying out for redemption, but was going unheard, L began to crawl on all fours, following behind his "master". Keeping his eyes glued to the ground, he continued to walk like an abused animal, following orders without hesitation.

"…What a good boy, listening to the master around here. You make me proud, Lawli." Beyond whispered with a dark chuckle, and once both men were only a few feet away from the door, the killer roughly tugged the chain connected to his hostage and began tying it up around a small metal pole planted firmly into the ground.

"Now be a good boy and wait here." B said sweetly, quickly running out the door, leaving a distressed L to tug on the too-tight collar, the device not budging a centimeter.

"Damn…." The detective hung his head silently, trying to calm his now erratic breathing, and mentally meditated, hoping no aura of fear was washing out from him like a storm.

"Lawli! BB's got you your breakfast!" The copy chirped as he entered the room again, holding a blue dog bowl in his hand, and the detective could see a piece of strawberry cheesecake seated in it; a dollop of whip-cream settled on top, with a tiny strawberry perched on that.

The raven felt his mouth begin to water at the sight of the delectable pastry; he had believed Beyond would be barely feeding him anything, let alone one of his favorite foods.

B set the bowl gently down on the ground, about a foot from the stationary L, then went back out, coming back moments later with another bowl, this one red, and setting that one next to the blue bowl ; this one filled with….coffee?

Yes, it was coffee, and from what the detective could tell, sugar, be they cubes or crystals had been put into the dark drink.

With a small smirk, Beyond untied his hostage, and took a step back.

"Eat up Lawliet…." A devilish chuckle came from the pale lips, which were now a dull red due to the blood from earlier.

If L had not been a man with prideful disposition, he most likely would have lunged at the cake and drink like a wild animal; but not being that kind of person, he quietly crawled on all fours to the bowls, and was about to lift a hand to the cake, when-

B's hand smacked his own away from the dish.

"Animals don't use their hands Lawli…."

"B...But-"

SLAP, right across L's bruised cheek….

"Animals also do not talk back to their masters, Lawliet." B icily ordered, glaring at L, who could feel himself shrink at the gaze.

With another sigh, the captive bent his head down, but gave one last mournful gaze at Beyond.

"….Eat UP, L; unless….the animal is ungrateful, and wants to shun his master's generosity." B raised his hand to show that he would slap L again if the raven continued to disobey his orders.

The raven knew the agony showed on his face, it was just too certain; but he still lowered his head to the blue bowl, placing his teeth to the slice of cake, and began to slowly take bites and eat the food placed in front of him. L was relieved to find that the food was not poisoned or drugged, or at least, he could not taste any of the sorts.

B happily plopped down in front of his hostage, grabbing the chain, and holding it somewhat tightly. His ruby eyes were awash with pure enjoyment and ecstasy; seeing L become so low, fall so far, made him feel as if he had just won a jam factory on every single continent.

L continued to take small bites of the cake, his two hands spread out on either side of the bowl, his teeth sinking into the soft, somewhat cool pastry; his tongue relished in the feeling of a familiar food, his lips smacking against the cream, some of the white substance tickled the raven's cheeks, hooking onto the pallid, pasty skin.

…..Which caught B's eyes.

As L continued to eat, he suddenly felt a sharp tug on the chain that forced his head upwards, until he found himself staring into the blood-red eyes of his former successor.

Beyond haughtily licked his lips, slowly, elegantly as well, hoping to get some form of reaction out of the other man, and he did so when L gasped softly, the detective's bony hands clawing into the metal surface underneath him.

The detective completely froze a second later when a wet muscle crawled across his cheek, licking up the frosting delectably, and lips began kissing the spots where the frosting used to reside. L found this to be a predicament; if he objected vocally, the older man would be slapped, if he did not, who knew how far B would take this? With no choice, L remained silent as the man gently ravished his face with his tongue, but the raven could not help the shivers that shot through his spine, and the heat pooling in his cheeks.

This was utter embarrassment…..nothing but sheer embarrassment! L was **far** from enjoying this attention; or that is what at least the man screamed in his head. Enjoyment? Hah! Like L Lawliet would ever enjoy being face-liked by a man such as Beyond Birthday…right?

_Is that his purpose…; for me to fall into some form of infatuation for him, such as Stockholm's Syndrome…? No, impossible…Beyond wants me to suffer…but then why-_

"What a good boy, Lawli," B hotly whispered in L's ear, "Not resisting your master…your God…one little bit." The criminal licked the shell of L's ear, causing the older one to gasp again, becoming even more flushed.

_He's not resisting…and I don't believe it's just because you threatened him, Beyond…This is what you wanted, yes? Him to react to your touch, your mouth? Your AFFECTION?_

_FOOL! Stop this incessant affection! You're the God here, he's nothing! He's only acting like that due to being a damn recluse all his life, and he's embarrassed. Nothing more! Nothing!_

_B-But…look at him-_

His thoughts were at war again, putting Beyond into inner turmoil. Lifting his head, he gazed into the soot-colored eyes, feeling……?

"Lawliet…." Came the quiet whisper from B, whose hands gently clasped L's cheeks, still somewhat sticky from the frosting. All the murderer did was stare into L's eyes for a few moments, the other staring back just like his copy and replica.

"…" L said nothing, but blinked repeatedly, his mouth open somewhat in surprise, and slightly titled his head in confusion.

_God, that's beautiful, is it not? His eyes, his face…can it not all be yours, just like you dreamed it to be?_

_WHAT?! I've never wanted that! PLEASE!! And besides, it cannot be mine, for I have broken L Lawliet to pieces, have I not?! He can never love me now, not that I would ever __**want**__ him to!!_

_How long will you keep this up? This…charade? This façade? How long will you deny it? How long__** can**__ you deny it? Deny what you've felt all along, ever since that first day!? You cannot do such a thing!_

_I DENY NOTHING! NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING!_

_NOTHING AT ALL!! FOR THERE IS NOTHING __**TO**__ DENY!!_

Beyond finally snapped out of his reverie with those words, anger bubbling up within him. How dare L make him doubt himself! And….feel……feelings, such as **those**. Which, of course, Beyond really didn't feel, but Lawliet was close, pushing B to the edge, of feeling **those **feelings, was he not?!

SLAP….right across L's cheek, causing the detective to gasp.

"STOP. IT." Beyond ordered coldly, glaring at the pasty man.

"S-Stop what!?" L inwardly cursed, for he knew he was not supposed to speak, which caused Beyond to slap him again.

"What did I say about speaking, L?! And stop THAT!" The copy pointed directly at the detective's face, nearly causing the elder of the two to flinch.

"S-Stop what!? I'm sorry, but stop wha-"

SLAP

SLAP

One on each cheek…..

"I SAID BE SILENT!! AND STOP THAT NOW!! THIS INSTANT!!"

"What?! Stop what?!"

"Aw, L just shut up!", Beyond tugged roughly on the chain after standing up, and L's face when flying into the bowl of still somewhat hot coffee, and he let out a piercing screech, "Finish your damn cake and coffee!"

The raven lifted his face from the bowl of sweet liquid, feeling the skin on his face sting from the burns; thankfully, the coffee could've been much hotter, and caused terrible wounds. Thankfully, the situation was the opposite, and L hurried back to the cake bowl, devouring the remaining pieces with rapid speed; not a second after the cake was gone did the raven scurry on all fours to the coffee bowl, and began lapping at it with his tongue, gazing at B from time to time.

The copy had sat down in a huff about two, three feet from L, gazing at him with righteous fury; the gaze burning like Hellfire and seeping into Lawliet's stricken soul.

"That's enough. You've had your fill, am I right?" Beyond spat out, standing up, and went over to L's right side. "Well…..you can answer now, I shall not hit you….at the moment."

"…" L visibly shook, and stared into the other's eyes.

"WELL?! ANSWER ME, L LAWLIET!!" B tugged on the chain, pulling L even closer, and making the detective gasp for air, his eyes going wide at the excruciating tug.

"Y-Yes Beyond…..I-I'm fine…."

How….

Humiliating...utterly humiliating.

He was SUBMITTING himself to this man; pure submission, there was no doubt.

"Good boy, Little Lawli…..but………" B trailed off, a smirk dawning his face.

"….W-What?"

"….You spoke out against your master, L. You must be punished."

_Oh…Oh God…_

"B-Beyond….please……agh!" L let out a strangled gasp as B tugged him back towards the bed, and with strength, picked the raven up, flinging him back onto the bed, stomach on the mattress, back to B.

"Now, now……..This was a fun tool, was it not?" B jingled the collar and chain for emphasis, but unfortunately, it must be disposed of for now."

With two clicks, the collar and chain vanished from the lithe neck, and L let out a sigh of relief; but almost instantaneously, the cuffs that were attached to the bed found their homes upon L's wrists and ankles once more.

The detective went to an even whiter pale, and even more so when he felt two arms wrap around his waist near the button of his jeans.

"Little Lawli's been a bad boy…..he need to be punished." A soft purr of delight came from the wielder of the Eyes' throat, and a snap and a pull later, L found his baggy jeans around his chained ankles, and more trepidation washed over him.

The detective heard no noise for a moment; it was as if Beyond was contemplating his next move. All of a sudden, a tight squeeze came to be on L's posterior, and the older man actually yelped at the action, causing Beyond Birthday to chuckle, and then swiftly pull down the boxers as well.

"Now wait here, Lawli….." The jam-lover ran out the door swiftly, leaving a poor frightened L face down in a dirty mattress, his pale bare bottom nearly sticking up in the air.

Not five minutes later did the detective hear Beyond's footsteps return, but no words were spoken by either man. L heard the other stop walking, and then clear his throat; what followed was…..

A painful, gut-wrenching smack across L's rear, causing him to release a violent, heart-breaking scream.

"BEYOND!!"

"Scream my name again L! Scream it as I paddle your ass so hard, you shall never disobey me again!"

Another three whacks of the paddle to L's rear, and another three piercing screams filled the grungy air of the warehouse.

"B-Beyond…." L wailed out as the paddling continued, tears beginning to stream down the raven's pale, thin cheeks and face, the bony hands of the man clawing at the mattress, as if he was trying to reach for some sanctuary.

"All hope is lost on you, Lawliet….no one shall save you. No one shall care for you; no one shall love you…" The copy mocked the elder one, each time ending a statement with a hard smack with the paddle, "Now. Say. You. Agree. With. Me!" Again, after each word, a hard, ear-splitting smack.

"I…..I……."

"DAMMIT L, SAY IT!!" Beyond bellowed, throwing caution into the wind and stepping up the paddling, hitting harder, faster, and with no mercy whatsoever.

"….I….I agree!" L was sobbing by this point, his entire, skinny body shaking, shivering, and sweating with anxiety.

"You agree with WHAT, L!?" Another four smack, another three screams, the last one especially long, and not giving L enough time to unleash another.

"I…I agree that….that I shall…b-be uncared for! Unloved! And I…I shall not be saved!" The raven cried out in despair, and once the words had immediately left Lawliet's mouth, the paddling stopped.

"Good boy, L….I think you've learned your lesson. For now, anyway." A light chuckle, and Beyond tossed the paddle aside, the wooden object hitting the ground with a thud.

"…" L was sobbing too much to even choke out a half-hearted reply; just as he was about to try turn over onto his stomach, the raven felt Beyond actually get on top of his body, his legs going on either side of L's butt.

"Mmm……." A pale, somewhat bloody hand caresses L's back smoothly, then it roamed to squeeze L's posterior again, "What a nice…..ass indeed. It's so much fun whipping and smacking it hard, Lawli."

"P-Please…..g-get off. I really mean it…." L whispered softly, pleadingly, hoping B would for once comply with him.

"…..No. I am sorry, but that shall not be happening, L. But I will stand up for the moment." B stated coldly, and instantly had removed himself from the other….

To only unbutton and unzip his jeans….to the dismay of L's ears.

"No…….Please no……."

"Oh, yes, L……It's time for some MORE fun….Kyahaha….." The boxers came next and L actually **whined** in despair, knowing what was to come next.

And it did…..for the raven had predicted sheer torture in the form of rape…..

Which he so regrettably received…..

A pure hour of horrid screams, flowing blood from L's entrance, Beyond's hands clawing at the detective's back, and a Devil's laugh pierced the warehouse.

But again, L's screams went unheard by all those he wished could hear them…..

OoOOOOOoOOOOooooOOOOOOOOOOOOoooOOOOo

_**Miles Away: Kanto Region, Task Force Headquarters:**_

OOoOoOOoOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooOOo

He couldn't concentrate….he just couldn't.

Raito stared at the old documents, pondering, wondering……

About L…

AGAIN.

Dammit, the man was GONE, and it was as if the raven was still here in the very same room!

"….Damn you, L….." Raito whispered to himself.

_Raito-kun is thinking of me…_A voice all too similar to L's mocked, _Does he miss me?_

"Like Hell I do!" The brunette continued to whisper to himself again, or more along the lines of that "L-voice".

_Does that make Raito-kun Kira?...That is heart-breaking, Raito-kun……_The voice said next, in a taunting tone.

"Just leave me alone!" The younger one returned, picking up a chart about the criminals times of death, and began to "observe" it.

_Raito-kun is the one thinking about me, dreaming about me…_Raito could nearly SEE the smile on the face of the man mocking him in his head.

"Shouldn't you be dead!?" A haughty whisper from the younger one whom was finally getting weird looks from the other detectives.

_No…because I have a feeling Raito-kun will eventually come to his senses and realize he truly indeed cares for me, yes?_

The Yagami boy growled to himself, beginning to shake with anger.

_Raito-kun…will you not save your raven maiden? Though, I hate to be considered a MAIDEN, but you have thought of me as that, yes? Submissive, under you, open and-_

"SHUT UP YOU BASTARD!! I FEEL NOTHING OF THE SORT FOR YOU!!"

To say the least, Raito got many an insane look from Matsuda, Aizawa, Mogi, and his father, along with a stern talk from his father about "Inside Voice" and "Emotional Issues with People", all of which Raito quietly listened too, insisting he was perfectly fine….

Yeah, right…..like he was REALLY fine…..

OoOooOOOoOOOOOOOOoOOOOooOOOOoOOOOo

_**Thousands of Miles away, Winchester, England; Wammy's House**_

OOoOoOOoOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooOOo

"…No news, yet, Watari. Nothing at all?" Roger said from the other side of the door, Mihael Keehl's small ear pressed to the wooden door.

"…." A sigh from Roger the care-taker made Mello worry; something had happened, he knew it. An eerie aura of gloom had settled over the House, and the blonde was quite worried. He didn't care if he'd get in trouble for snooping; he just **had** to know what was wrong.

"Watari, you must find L…..I know whom we are dealing with, but-…." Another sigh, "Please, Watari…you must find L's kidnapper."

_Kidnapper…?!_

"…Mihael, what are you doing?" It was Near, Nate River, once again, spoiling Mello's plans and operations.

"Shut it, Near, just listen." Mello roughly pulled the white-haired child to the door, ordering him to listen with a glare; though Nate was hesitant at first, he pressed an ear to the door.

"Look…..we know who took L, now….I know. If we go after Beyond, the children here might be at risk. But…….Alright, look just call me back when something comes up. Thank you Watari. Good day, and please try not to worry; L is a strong man…he'll come out of this alive."

The elder hung up the phone, and Mihael glance at his companion, to see wide, black eyes.

"Mello, what-"

The older child cut the other off as he tugged him swiftly down the hall.

"Near…we've got some work to do. It looks like L's in trouble."

….. It was time for the kids to take action, and do whatever they could to find L…..

And to make sure the next time they saw him, it was a cheerful day….

And not one spent in the morgue……

OoOOoOOOoOOOoOOooOOOooooo

A/N: Oooh….Some interesting stuff here! : D

Mello and Near (Matt'll show up later xD ) have finally arrived, and what role do THEY play? Well, you'll just have to see….. ; D

And More drama for Raito….he still hasn't seen the light…..He better, right?

And more BxL drama too…..Hmm….I wonder where their relationship is headed? Besides the land of chaos I mean? XD Who knows, well, I know…and eventually YOU will know too! : D

Tata for now…school is starting, so I hope to see you all soon! : )

Reviews are welcomed!


	5. Servant

A/N: Hello again Lovelies! : D

More madness ahead, another lovely mature chapter for you all! Please enjoy, and reviews are much appreciated!

_Italics represent inner thoughts/flashback where stated, __Underline Italics are B's conflicting thoughts again…_

AND YAY!! : DD We have passed 40 reviews!! Thank you SOOOOO much!!

_OOoOoOOoOOOOOoooooooooOOooooooooooooooOOo_

_"I like not fair terms and a villain's mind"_

_- The Merchant of Venice, (Act I, Scene III)_

_OoOOoOOoOOOoOoOoOOOOOoooOOoOoOOOooOooOoooOOooOoO_

L…was one to ignore many a thing; it was just his personality.

He ignored the darkness that had surrounded the room in that filthy warehouse, estimating it was around late in the morning, perhaps three, four AM. Beyond had finished with him around one AM, the copy stating the time, zipping up his pants, smirking, and even wiping up some of the raven's blood with a towel….

Only to lick that towel devilishly in front of the murderer's victim, shaking in evil pleasure, his lips being stained red with the metallic substance.

"Nighty night, Lawli-pop…." He had whispered softly into the shaking raven's ear, and had then had fully kisses the older man upon his pale lips, staining them blood-red.

A bloody kiss…..B's signature marking………

The twin sister of the kiss of death……

Now, hours later, L just was laying there, on that bed, eyes half-lidded in pain.

Pain…L was ignoring the pain coursing through his veins as that very moment; for the entire past few hours, he had been ignoring it.

…More like failing to ignore it.

L had once been a strong man, but how far he had fallen….it was too sad. And now, he knew, even though how hard he tried, he could never ignore this undying pain in his body and spirit.

So he just stared….stared at his chained, fisted hand that was resting near his face, his eyes now and then drifting to the far, rusted wall, or to the hanging Wara Ningyo above him. There was nothing else to do now but stare. Why think when you are broken; why look at life if you become dead on the inside?

…This whole scene…It was just…

All too similar to before…

_"Lawliet, I shall be taking you in." It was a caretaker that the Lawliet's had known for years, a man that they had total faith if it ever came down to it that someone needed to take care of their son._

_Actually, the Lawliets had had contact with Watari, a.k.a Quillish Wammy, before as well, for he had had quite an interest in their son and his high intellect; unfortunately, they had not want to burden him with taking in their son in case of an emergency, for he ran enough of a large orphanage already._

_What they hadn't planned on was two things:_

_One, Watari had feared that men had been after the Lawliets, for their fortune and of course, for L. Many did not know of the son, but those that HAD heard were predatory towards him, wanting him, many of which wanted him for ransom, torture, or even sickly desires. Mr. Wammy had tried to warn them to stay away from many a regular man, and they had, and they followed those orders…mostly._

_It was too bad that they hadn't paid more attention to the man whom would come to take care of L…_

…_For they would've seen that man planning their downfall, organizing for the fire that would kill them and destroy L Lawliet's life…_

_But they did no such thing, for they had become too trusting…_

_Thankfully, Watari had not been too trusting, but when it came time to save L, it had been too late; the other man had gotten there first…_

_Perhaps that was why L had never trusted anyone after Watari took him in…_

_The second thing was that this man, whom they had know for so long would betray them…_

_By destroying their only son's innocence…_

_"YOU LIKE THIS LITTLE LAWLI?! DON'T YOU?!" The man bellowed as he roughly tortured the boy with rape, with the child crying, begging for him to stop._

_"GET OUT!! LEAVE ME ALONE!! MOMMA!!" It was useless to call for his mother, the caretaker had made sure of that..._

_Like that fire was just an "accident"; the police suspected arson, but failed to delve further…oh, only if they had._

_The man, whom shall remain nameless, continued on…torturing Little Lawli for three days…_

_Until Watari came to his rescue…The elder had never trusted that man, and even after L had gone into his care, his suspicion still remained. _

_Watari had told L to talk to him once he got settled in, and when the raven child refused to do so, Mr. Wammy just had a gut feeling that something had gone horribly wrong._

_So it was no surprise to say as a shocked L sat crying on a dirty old bed in the basement, and was immediately surround by policemen when they barged through the door, he felt relieved and scared at the same time._

_Only when Watari had come running down the steps a few moments later, embracing the four-year old genius, comforting him, and picking him up as the caretaker was arrested and placed into the back of a police car._

…………

_"Welcome home, L Lawliet." Quillish Wammy stood outside in the snow with the child, whose dark orbs stared at the mansion._

_"…W-Watari…so…so now, I'm-"_

_"Yes…you are to become the World's Greatest Detective. I know it is to happen."_

_"But…what about…?" L shivered, still scared from his torture._

_"…We have time, Lawliet. You shall heal in time. I and the other nurses will help you, my son."_

_"Son…Okay, I…I want this._

_He did want it. Lawliet had had a strong sense of justice in his blood ever since he could remember; his intellect, his strong will…all could help him achieve what he wanted._

_But he __**had **__been broken…he made sure Watari knew that, and the old man did._

_Years passed, L's intellect grew to immense proportions, but…_

_He had become a cold child, very inexpressive, with little emotion showing._

_But…who could blame L?_

_"Murdered" parents…taken away by their own feelings of trust; betrayed like Caesar with Brutus. _

_Sexually assaulted for three days, along with abuse and terrible words…_

_No wonder L seemed cut off from the rest of the world…_

_When his personality changed very little, Watari realized he could do nothing about it, for he was no miracle worker; all he could do was watch as Lawliet's insomnia increased even further, his oral fixation become greater, his habits become more quirky and odd, and his eating habits become even more unconventional._

_He accepted the younger man like his own son, his perfect prodigy._

_L Lawliet became "L" at thirteen…and soon became the number-one detective, and would eventually take the names "Coil" and "Denuve" as well._

_Though L solved these for cases, he would never lie and say that he just did it for that…_

_  
They young man became bored easily, and these cases entertained him to great ends…_

_Was that so wrong?_

…_Was it……_

_Sinful?_

"……Sinful…" Lawliet whispered to himself, closing his eyes in thought.

He could not believe that those memories were still haunting him; was it wrong to try to forget the past? Was **that** sinful? Was it sinful to block out memories from the past?

And…

Was it so wrong to get enjoyment out of his line of work? Even if lives were at stake?

The raven sighed, and curled up even more into himself, but he would not sleep, not here, not now, and possibly not ever after this experience.

Truth be told…L was afraid to sleep now…Usually he wasn't, he just never felt the need, but now…

Sleep was just a calling card for death to visit him…

Oo OOoOOooOOOoOooOOOOoOOOOOoOOOOOOOoOOOOooOOOoo

_**Miles away, Kanto Region, Yagami Household…4:15 AM, Raito-kun's room…..**_

OoOoOoOoOooOoOooOOoOoOoOOoOooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooO

_Just…Just close your eyes, and sleep, you idiot…it's not that hard, is it?_

Raito was mentally chastising himself, for the infinite time that night; slumber was just not reaching that man.

Every time he closed his eyes, he saw one person, and only one person, and even heard that man's voice.

_"Raito-kun!" A toothy grin from L, actually smiling at him, his soot-colored orbs alight with mischief. _

"UGH!!" Raito flashed open his eyes, and buried his head under the pillow, whispering, "Leave me alone, L!"

_"Raito is the one who is thinking about me…" The detective gave a chuckle, "I'm sure he could easily stop if he put his heart into it, yes?"_

…_That bastard in my head has a point…why don't I stop thinking about him? I can do it, can't I? I'm a __**God**__…I'm Kira. I can do it………I…I wonder if he's dead…that kidnapper might've-WHAT THE HELL!? I'm thinking about him...I cannot even go five seconds without him coming into my thoughts…! WHY?!_

Raito sighed, his sepia eyes going to the ceiling, staring at the white-washed surface.

"…I cannot be bothered with you, L. If you knew who I was, you'd understand that…" He whispered to the eerie silence around him; the eeriness coming from the awkward feeling in his….heart?

_"Of course I know you're Kira, Raito-kun. I suspect you, of course…" The L in Raito's head called out, "But I know something else……You are in love with me."_

The brunette shot up immediately, eyes wide, mouth agape.

"N-No…No, I AM NOT!" He whispered heatedly out loud to the man in his head.

_"Raito is a poor liar…It is down-right depressing…" L gave a soft sigh, and Raito could literally see the man shake that pale head in his own mind, "You should be honest with yourself, Raito…do you like it when I just call you "Raito"?"_

"…" The young "God" felt his face heat up as the voice in his head dropped the traditional honorific from his culture. Surely he had no subconscious intention of wanting that eccentric human calling his name intimately? No, that was stupid……

Right?

Raito picked up his pillow, screaming softly into it; dammit, he was losing his cool! Kira could not lose his cool, not now! Not when everything was so close!

…But at this rate, it seemed that the brunette would not be getting a good night's sleep for a long time; thankfully, thinking ahead after that incident where he shouted out loud at the headquarters, he had secretly met with Misa, commanding her to continue Kira's killings for him, for he needed a rest; this way it would look like Kira was still alive, even though the real Kira was stressing out and was, in some ways, being haunted by the "ghost" of his enemy.

L…it unfathomed Raito as to how this man could haunt him……

And most likely he wasn't even dead……

It looked like the God of the New World would not be sleeping peacefully for awhile…not if…

_"Raito, would you prefer that I be naked when you rescue me, or would you like me clothed? Oh, maybe a dress…I know of your sick perversions, Rai-"_

Not if that man had anything to do with it………

OOoOoOOoooOOooOoOoooOOOOOooOoOooOOoooo

_**Next Morning, 8:05 AM, B's Warehouse……**_

OoOoOoOoOOoOoOOOOOOOOOOOoOoooooOoOOooOooOOooOOoOo

He could see it in his ruby orbs:

God's grace was shining down upon him; yes, finally someone out there was looking favorably upon Beyond Birthday.

That glistening sunrise that had taken place mere moments before…ah, was it breathtaking. The copy had eaten his jam on the roof that morning, gazing at God's rightful judgment shining in glorious colors, full of warm shades and temperatures.

Now, just seconds ago, he'd leapt off the roof, landing firmly and elegantly on the small balcony jutting out from the building and had proceeded inside the large building, thinking about what to do with his new pet today…

"Tsk Tsk…The Almighty has given me too many options, Lawli," He whispered diabolically to himself as he padded down the hallway in his bare feet, a rusty railing weathering to his right, "So what shall I choose?"

The younger one hummed to himself in deep thought, a soft purr echoing from his vocal chords, sounding out a pleasured-filled silken call. B's calm footsteps wove a path to his room, and immediately we went to one of many taped-up cardboard boxes that he had brought along to this place; making secret, sneaky, weakly trips, in the dead of night, hiding from the eye of civilization.

"…Perfect." The killer cackled softly, holding up his found prize, his pure-white, pointed teeth glistening in the streaming sunlight coming from the tiny barred window in the right corner.

"Oh, LAWWWWLIIIII…Your Master needs your help…KYAHAHAHAH!!"

B took a deep breath, calming that insane laugh of his, a laugh that sprouted fear into the hearts and souls of all its listeners.

L being the biggest, most important listener of them all……

The man grabbed what he needed, and rushed from the room, snickering, no, softly giggling a greedy giggle, the cogs in his brain already tweaking and working expertly.

Silently as he could be, B creaked open the north door to L's holding "cell". The older man was still laying there, almost as if he was a pale, broken corpse…

Hehe…was that not what L was? A broken dead version of himself…?

…If Beyond had anything to say about it, then that answer would be a complete and one-hundred percent…YES.

"Good morning, Lawli…did you get any sleep last night?" The killer chirped happily, a giddy smile replacing his normally jagged and cruel one.

"…" L was silent, still staring straight at the wall, his pasty body still as a stack of wooden boards.

Beyond pouted at hearing no response, and somewhat roughly grabbed L's hair, tugging it enough so the killer could whisper hotly and sternly in Lawliet's ear.

"You should know by now that you shall answer my questions from now on, dear Lawli. Now…" The younger one tugged L more violently, forcing him to sit up, "It's time for some good o' fun Lawli-pop. Hehe…"

In a flash, the handcuffs had come off, momentarily stunning L as B flipped him over onto his back, shoving the item he was holding into the detective's bony hands.

"Undress. NOW. Right here." Beyond ordered as L gaped at the dress in his possession…

A maid's dress…a skimpy outfit that L hypothesized would barely reach his thighs.

"Oh, that's right Lawli…you will need to wear these too," The jam-lover reached into his pocket, pulling out a pair of black, laced panties that he had taken from the house of Backyard Bottomslash, his last victim in the Los Angeles Murders; he lazily tossed them to the wide-eyed L, whom finally blinked after what seemed an eternity.

"…Beyond-"

"SILENCE….you know what you must say now, yes…?" B growled at Lawliet, his ruby eyes piercing the raven deep enough to cause the pasty man to stiffen and to grip the dress with tight fists, knuckles turning snow white.

"…Say…"Yes Master"?"

Beyond chuckled darkly, "My, you **are** broken, aren't you? How sweet. I never knew how easily it would actually **be.** But yes, that is correct Lawli. A master should be addressed correctly. Now, strip."

L slowly nodded, and, wincing while doing so, got off the mattress, taking off his now dirty and bloody white shirt, and tossing it to the ground mutely.

"Good boy…now…the pants?"

"…" L felt humiliated at the moment, but what choice did he have? He could see no reason to fight this anymore. Or at least **this** game at the moment…

Or maybe L just could not fight anymore?

So the jeans were unzipped, unbutton, and uncared about as the broken raven tossed them away with no care.

"…One last thing, Lawli-chan." Beyond smiled sweetly, nodding towards L's boxers which the raven had weakly slipped on last night after their last "session", "Those must go too. Don't worry, I'm not going to touch you…not yet anyway."

"…Alright." The detective slipped off the undergarment slowly, stepping out of the boxers and gently kicking them aside.

"…Now the panties and dress, Lawliet." B ordered sternly, "MUST I tell you everything?"

"…No, Beyond. You do not. I apologize." L softly returned, slipping the womanly undergarment on himself, finding it excruciatingly uncomfortable due to it not meant for a man, and the dress followed, the raven slipping it over his head with a resigned sigh.

"MUCH better L!" B chirped, smiling and looking as happy as a school girl, clapping his hands, but grinning like Lucifer. He swiftly walked over to his captive, gently taking L's chin in his sticky-from-the-jam-hand, "Now you are ready to serve me properly, my little maid." Beyond whispered heatedly, causing L to elicit a small gasp.

"Ah, L. Do you…feel pleasure course through you when you hear that? When you hear you must serve me? Is that a deep desire of yours?" The jam-lover again whispered hotly, finishing the sentence with a puff of air right into the pearl of an ear that L owned upon his porcelain face.

"N-No…?" The detective was not sure how to exactly answer without getting reprimanded, hurt or even…violated again.

"Tsk Tsk…do not fear, L, I shall not harm you for that defiance. But eventually…" Beyond moved his lips until they were centimeters from the others "You will want to serve me of your own will. I shall make sure of it. It is only fitting for someone so low, so broken, such as you, be made to serve those whom are better than him."

"…" Here, the older one was silent, but hung his head once B dropped his chin roughly, and walked a few feet away, his back to L.

"Now…wait here and I suggest you do not run. Not that there is anyone or anyplace for you to run to…" The killer cackled as he left, leaving a confused and worried L to stand there.

….A few moments later gave way to the sound of running water that L could detect; it was coming from inside the warehouse, but from where exactly was unknown to the older one.

"…Oh, LAWLI…my feet are dirty," Beyond called joyously as he re-entered the room, a plastic bucket in hand, a washcloth in the other, and "Wash them for me."

"…" How…disgusting. What a job that was….utterly humiliating to beseech L Lawliet with. How…..

How ugly…tasks could be ugly, could they not?

"….Oh, cheer up Lawli-pop," Beyond icily said, grinning his trademark suspicious grin as he ran out of the room after dropping the bucket and cloth in front of the raven, grabbing a wooden chair that he had situated out in the hall, and placing it with a hard thud directly in front of L; the killer hopped lazily into furniture, stretching a bare foot out in front of L's pallid, thin face, "Now wash, L. Cleanse your God's feet."

"..." L picked up the washcloth, dunking it in the bucket with a firm splash, and picked up the outstretched right foot, and began to silently scrub.

"..Respond to the order, L. NOW. Subjects always respond to their masters." The jam-devourer ordered with a glare of pure hatred.

"…Yes, Master Beyond." L felt his soul and will die even further, if that was even possible.

"Hehe," B reached out, gently caressing the midnight locks of the other, "That's a good L…Finally listening to someone; finally being controlled by someone."

"…" The detective just continued to wash the foot, his dark orbs glued to the appendage of the killer, and the tiny toes that were also there as well. Beyond had been right about his feet being dirty, and L could not help but wonder if his were this dirty.

_We both walk around barefoot…how much do we actually have in common…? For the longest time, I figured that…that we were complete opposites…but…but now…It is not just our appearances that make us alike…_

_We are both cynical, we are both heartless…_

_We both have felt immense pain…Oh, Beyond…I could apologize for everything a thousand times, yet you would think that it was nothing; that I was just trying to save my own skin…_

_But I know…I know because I've been there…not exactly, one-hundred percent there, but I was there……though……_

_You shall never care…_

"Now the other foot L." Beyond ordered like a king, roughly taking the right foot out of the bony hands and fingers, and shoving the left foot at the other's face, inches away from the pointed nose of L, whom grabbed the foot, and began to bathe that one as well.

"…Yes Master."

_Master…why do you wish for me to call you that…? Do you really want to rule me, Beyond…? Like a dictator, a God…? Do you…? Why? Am I just a piece of broken glass to you…? Is that it? _

"Hehe…you're getting good at calling me master, Lawli. You learn so quickly. So quickly, that is it almost scary in some ways, but…I always knew you would catch on to anything quickly."

_Yes, Lawliet…you learn so fast…and you do catch quickly; so can you see what I am doing to you? Lowering you? You must, you aren't a stupid fool; yet, you do not know your own fate, and I bet that scares you…Good. You need to be scared. Feel the fear all too similar to mine that I felt when I was younger. I grew up quickly, I gained strength…and now I shall be taking yours._

_His strength…you are taking that. Isn't there any part of you that regrets this…? Any part at all? Look at him, you are making him wash your feet…! That…that must be utter humiliation for him!!_

_Duh, exactly…that was the whole plan; break him, humiliate him, then…finish him off. That plan will no be diverted._

_You still plan to kill him?! Even after yesterday!? Those kisses, they were so real, so pure! Those kisses you placed upon his frosting-covered face, that tongue gently caressing the man you've loved for so long!_

_LIES…complete and utter lies! Those kisses were FAKE! Stop trying to divert my path, whoever the hell you are!!_

_Who am I? I am you, you fool…your inner being, telling you this is wrong! I'm your inner conscience, the one you tried to destroy years ago; I am the heart that you tried to kill when A died! But I cannot die, Beyond; I can only die if you will, and I know, with one-hundred percent satisfaction and trust, that you will not let yourself die now…_

_!? NO, you…you are not me…!! You aren't, you aren't…!!_

_Beyond, look at yourself…look at L. This was not what you always wanted. You never wanted him dead, you wanted to love him, to have him love you; you wanted him to make love to you, to tell you that this is all right, that the world isn't as rotten as you believe it to be!  
_

"…" B was silent as he was fighting another silent war in his mind; he could even picture the two Beyonds in his head arguing at each other, and the killer kept trying to deny all of which the "conscientious" B was stating.

_ENOUGH! How dare YOU tell me what I want, who I am…!! You know nothing of me!!_

_What part of, "I AM YOU" do you not understand…?! I know what you want, deep down I KNOW!! Stop playing this deadly gamed, and wake up…!!_

"…" Now the killer began to shake, and feeling the other body beginning to move erratically, L looked up from his chore, blinking in surprise, and he tried to gaze into those garnet eyes.

"B? Are you oka-"

BAM…

Beyond had taken the foot L was still lightly holding and sent it flying into the detective's face, the raven being flown to the ground a few feet away in a state of perpetual shock.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!!" Beyond screeched with a sad wail, his pale, and still sticky- from-the-jam-hands gripped his bony head as he stood up quickly knocking over the wooden chair.

"Beyond?! What's wrong?!" L called out as he tried to stand up, and winced at the pain that was running through his face and bones.

…_Why do you care…This man has destroyed you, yet you ask what is wrong…Lawliet, you have officially lost your mind, haven't you?_

"NONE OF YOUR CONCERN L!! JUST GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!" B screamed at the top of his lungs, his body shaking even more, and L could see the grip the man had upon his head tighten, knuckles turning pale.

"Beyond, calm down! We…we can work this-AGH!!"

The man could not finish his sentence, for Beyond had thrown the wooden chair at the raven with all of his might, sending L flying back in a scream of pain.

"…Hehe…KYAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! You think you know me, but you know nothing!! I KNOW ALL!!"

L groaned in pain as B laughed up another storm, his blood-eyes alight with madness; the laughter did not die for a good amount of minutes and even then, the copy's body shook slightly, the Devil's smile from Hell gracing his pale face.

"…Hehe…Did Lawli get himself hurt? Poor thing…" A sad little pout appeared, vanishing instantly as quickly as it had arrived; "Now…I brought something else for you to wear."

The copy reached into his baggy jeans, pulling out a pair of black, metallic handcuffs and began slowly walking over to Lawliet.

"You need to walk around while you serve me, but we cannot have you running away, can we…don't worry, you will still be able to walk, just not run. Think of it like….like prison L; you are my prisoner, and…." With a snap and a click, the cuffs were bound on L's ankles, and Beyond roughly tugged him up, whispering hotly, "I am your beautiful bloody warden, who you must obey at all times." A quick lick of L's ear, B's tongue dipping into the ear all but just barely caused the raven to gasp, his ebony orbs widening even more.

"Ah, L…you gasp so much at my attention of you? Are you craving me, lusting after me or…are you just a whore and you gasp at pleasure at all times? Hehe…"

"…I…I do not, how...how can you call me that!? I-"

BAM….a punch right across L's nose, sending him falling back again, feeling even more pain; pain that just added to the torture of being hit by the chair moments ago.

"NEVER question me, you lying piece of slime!" B snarled, and turned away, as if he….he did not mean for that to come out? Did he regret those words? Or was he just trying to control his temper? Perhaps neither of those options?!

"…I apologize, Beyond." L shook off the pounding piercing pain, and stood, and after getting used to the handcuffs bound upon his ankles, he tottered over to B, hanging his head due to the humiliation and because the instinct of apologizing to **B **was becoming second-nature to him.

"…" The killer was silent for a moment, and then let out a snort; he grabbed L's arm roughly, dragging him outside the room, "Just shut up and serve me, L."

"…" As he was dragged down the hall, Lawliet gazed at the rusty metal hallway, eyeing some of the splatters of blood dotting the walkway and the metal pieces aligning it like terrible furniture décor.

They arrived at a bare room, with only a mattress nestled in the upper right corner; there was a broken mirror frame and the shards of the mirror were still littering the floor from the other day. Dirty black shirts and jeans were flung haphazardly everywhere, and a little sunshine was coming in from the window above the mattress.

"…Your room." L stated, not questioned.

"Of course. Now clean it. And clean it barefoot."

"?!" There was glass in the majority of the living space, the chances of L stepping on a piece of two was…highly likely. No, more certain with almost one-hundred percentage that he would.

"Don't give me that look, just clean it up!" Beyond pushed L into the room roughly, and the older man lost his balance, and fell upon a few shards, and gave out small yelps of pain.

"…" The detective stood up, and winced as another shard buried itself in his skin.

"I shall be back in exactly thirty minutes; I need to finish setting up…a game for us. There is a wastebasket in the corner. Now, GET. TO. WORK." B slammed the bedroom door as he exited; cackling evilly as his footsteps retreated, leaving a despondent L in the room.

...

Thirty minutes passed, and the room was fairly clean to L's standards: Every last glass shard was either buried in L's feet, hands, arms or legs, or located in the wastebasket; sadly it felt like more of the former than the later, even though it was not so. The clothes had been put in a small pile near the bed, and L had taken a Kleenex and had wiped away some of the blood and jam stains.

The door opened with a bellowing slam, and Beyond smiled, "…Not bad Lawli, but I've seen better…Aw, you're bleeding. Don't worry; I'll take care of those later. Now come."

The copy left the room, heading towards another, L following, "I am hungry, Lawli-pop. You must feed me now, understood?"

"…Yes Beyond."

The kitchen was no better than how the bedroom had been; messy, dirty and with rusty, broken and cracked metal walls. Jam jars were scattered to all four corners, jam itself splattered upon all walls and counters, the refrigerator, and the table and chairs. One could say that it looked like someone had had an orgasm of jam proportions.

There was also a mix of blood upon some walls, and random knives were lying on the table and counters, which themselves were a disastrous mess. But B seemed to mind none of this, and hopped up into a chair, getting into a duplication of Lawliet's crouch.

"There is a jam jar in the fridge, L. Get it out." He ordered, staring darkly at the other; The captive obeyed, opening the creaky pale yellow appliance's door, and taking out a jar and outstretching his hand to B.

"Pfft…you're supposed to open it, L. How dumb **are** you?"

"…" The older one unscrewed the top and again, outstretched his hand to the copy.

"What part of "FEED ME" do you not get?! Have you lost your intelligence, L? Hah…"

"…It is jam, how do you expect me to feed-"

Beyond finally had his impatience boil over, and he jerked the jar into his grasp, and grabbed L's hand with another; he wasted no time, and dunked some jam into the bony appendage and began to heartily lick it up off the hand, causing L to become frozen with shock.

"THAT is how you feed me, you fool. Now, hold out your hand and leave it there." B ordered, and continued to eat off of L's hand, leaving a few bites and nips into the skin as well; panic and odd sensations were welling up in L's chest, and a concerned expression bloomed upon his face.

B looked up as he continued to eat off the other's hand, and smirked when he saw the look on the other's face; he smiled a smile of the Angel of Death, strawberry jam lining his teeth and lips.

"Lawli looks concerned and troubled…what is bothering my little servant?"

"…" Silence from the other man…

"…" B furrowed his brow, and stood up with a clang, jerking L's hand even closer to his mouth; a wet muscle of B's tongue came out to lick that strawberry smile and the jam coating it, and the copy's red eyes came to lock with L's black ones.

"…You will not tell me, will you L? Fine, then." The killer's sharp teeth showed themselves, and the man lunged his mouth at the raven's hand, sinking the teeth deep into the skin, causing L to let out a scream of pain; even more so because the bite from Beyond and the jerking of his hand had caused some glass shards to sink in deeper to L's skin.

"S-Stop! That hurts! Let me go!" The detective began to shake and shiver, and he even tried to gently remove his hand with small tugs, but that only made B sink his fang-like molars and canines in deeper.

"Never…" He mumbled around the hand, "I shall never let my Lawliet go…", and then Beyond proceeded to…almost chew upon the hand; not roughly, gently, but the pain of the teeth being sunk into his skin and the glass sinking even further due to the motion near the pieces made L wail in pain.

"Stop! I beg of you, please!" Tears were now watering in L's eyes, and the man's strength finally gave out, making him collapse to his knees with a shudder and a wail, due to a few glass shards being in his kneecaps.

"…ENOUGH of your screaming, Lawliet!" The other screamed with rage, and roughly grabbed L by the edge of his dress, lifting him up and bringing him face to face, only inches apart. "If you will insist on screaming at me, then you shall scream how I want you to. Hehe…"

Those midnight orbs widened again, and before he had even time to react, the detective found himself over Beyond's shoulder, being carried off to an unknown destination.

"…You will have fun Lawliet. I set up this room especially for us." A hand came up L's dress to lightly squeeze his bottom, causing the pallid man to flash a scarlet red.

The trek to wherever they were headed was long, but they finally arrived at a green door, with bloody handprints aligning it.

"Here we are!" B chirped and kicked down the door, and L stretched his head to see…

A room filled with bondage toys of all sorts, causing him to gasp and his mouth to fall open in shock, unfiltered shock.

All forms of handcuffs, metal, plastic, even some furry ones, hung from the walls and even on two tables that were in the room; one table was wooden, and seemed fairly normal, while the other metal one had metal spokes all around the edges and a few on the main table. Paddles and gags of all forms were hanging from hooks near the door. There was a St. Andrew's cross on the far right wall; a spider-web roping technique on it's opposite. Shelves on the walls held syringes, filled with various colorful liquids, most likely the drugs B had been concocting. Whips and ropes were hanging or were in many a box nearby. There was even a pair of long handcuffs hanging from the ceiling, just begging to have a victim in them.

"See Lawli? It will be so much fun! It's taken me forever to set this up perfectly, and I still have more stuff in boxes!" The jam-lover nearly squealed with joy, "Don't worry, we'll get to try everything….but let's start with the basics, why don't we?"

"…Please no."

"…You mean please YES." Beyond lunged to a nearby wall, slamming L against it, and greedily like a horny teen began tearing and ripping off L's dress, nearly shredding it with furor, the pieces falling all around him.

"Oh…we should get rid of all these glass shards, shouldn't we? Don't want you to get infected and die too early, now do we?"

…_Just leave them in if there is a chance of my death, Beyond…death is looking better with each moment, my dear successor…_

"Y-You don't-AGH!! STOP!" L could not finish for the other had begun yanking out the shards with just as much anxiousness that he had shown while he ripped off the elder one's dress.

"THERE! All done!" B smiled as every single shard that he had spotted was thrown aside, and now L was bleeding from the cuts the glass had caused and a few tears had begun to fall.

"Aww…did I make Lawliet cry? TOO BAD. LIGHTEN UP."

…_Light…Raito…Raito…are you thinking of me…? Do you even know that I am gone…? I suspect of you being Kira, so I thereby infer that you do not care…but is it too much to hope that you do…?! Why-_

A loud bang echoed out as L was shoved near a pair of handcuffs, snapping him out of his reverie; Beyond hooked his hands first, and after removing the pair of cuffs that were around L's ankles to begin with, the pair on the wall became fastened to his body.

"Hmmm…" B took a step back to view the hanging L, as if he was a Michelangelo work of art, "Good except…oh, of course!" He snapped his fingers in recognition and walked back over to L, and ripped off the black, laced panties, the pieces falling to the ground. "MUCH better."

"B-Beyond…Please…"

The copy threw off his shirt, revealing a bare chest with a few tiny scars, and L blinked once they came better into view.

"You like them L?" One of B's hands came up to caress a scar, "I gave them to myself years ago…I was testing to see how far I could go…how bad I could bleed."

"…" The detective unconsciously continued to stare, his mind wrapped around B's words, hearing, listening, but his eyes were completely focused on the chest in front of him…and not just for the scars. B's body was so similar to L's…but….

L found it almost attractive how skinny the man was; he wasn't the exact same amount as L but…somehow….it was….

_WHAT are you thinking…?! Stop staring at his body…! You are NOT attracted to this man, you-_

"You are staring at me, Lawli-pop…" A gentle hand cupped L's chin, "Are you beginning to lust after me now? Or are the scars scaring you somewhat?"

"…" L was silent, but sent an angry glare at the question of if he was lusting after Beyond; that was utterly ridiculous.

"…Well, no matter. Even if you come to want me and my body, you shall never have it, for you have lost all hope of ever getting it."

"…That statement leads me to believe that there was a chance that I even could have it, Beyond." L replied monotonously, and the statement actually caused B to gasp and blink.

"What? You stupid fool, that was never to happen. I felt nothing for you, and I never shall." The other returned with a growl, and he stripped himself of his pants and boxers as rapidly as he could, "Now…scream for me L!"

The copy shoved two fingers roughly into the detective's portal, and the man screamed in agony as the appendages probed and prodded his being. B had set the handcuffs up giving L little movement as he faced the killer; he could only squirm somewhat, but even that was difficult do to B's body pressed against him and the fingers violating him. Another bony finger made its way inside L poking and pulling, stinging and sickening.

"GET OUT!! BEYOND, STOP, I-Ah……" The detective stiffened as something inside of him was touched so wonderfully, so heavenly, that it made him see white and his mouth go slack.

"…So. THAT's where it is. Well, I'll just have to avoid hitting that spot, won't I L?"

"…W-What…? You…" L was coming out of the trance that touch had caused him to slumber into, and…

He screamed violently in torture as B thrusted into him quickly; the terrible preparation for the entrance had done little to stifle the pain, for B had just poked him roughly, no stretching at all.

"BEYOND! STOP! PLEASE I BEG…I AM BEGGING YOU!!" L screeched as the man began thrusting in and out with rapid speed, some blood leaking from L's entrances as he did so.

"KYAHAHAH! Scream Lawli-pop! Scream for your Master! Your God who shall forever own you, who shall forever be in your thoughts! I shall CONSUME you!" The copy screamed as his nails dug into the detective's chest, causing bleeding scratches to form.

L was crying by now, the pain all too great for his broken soul to handle; you would think he would be used to it by now, but…..

He never could get used to it…

NEVER.

"SAY it L! Let me here you say it! Say I OWN YOU!"

"…AGH!" When Lawliet had not responded quickly enough, the captor sped up his thrusting pace and the scratching went even deeper, "Y-YES! You own me!"

"FOR--HOW--LONG?!" With each thrust of pain, B made sure to miss L's prostate now that he was one-hundred percent sure of the angle and position of it. He had mentally memorized it so that any screams of pleasure L was to ever omit from those pale, chapped, bloody lips of his would be forever silenced.

"…F-FOREVER!" L bellowed, enraptured in pain and sorrow as more tears sprang forth; it was true…B would probably forever own him after this day.

L could tell there was no way he would ever be returning to how it once was….

When he was strong…

When he was amazingly powerful…

When he had the will of a World Leader whom had not been corrupted……

When he had the soul of fire, the heart of a lion, and the walls around his heart were made of steal…

But now……

He was weak……

He had no power…

His will was destroyed; he was to forever be own by the man raping him at this very moment…

His soul was as cold as frozen ice, his heart a dead corpse of a lion, killed off by a hunter, and the walls had melted into mush that could never be repaired…

L gasped as Beyond's warm liquids filled him, and when a final thrust was followed, a strangled, tired scream came from the older one's body.

"…Lawliet is tired after that little session, isn't he?" B whispered as L hung there limply, head hanging, eyes staring emotionlessly and dead at the ground, "Well, no matter, you can sleep for now."

L paid the killer no heed as he heard the man rustle objects near by; only when B came to stand in front of him did the raven even respond, with a quick blink.

…

Then, instantly, the raven stiffened in shock as a gentle hand came to his entrance, wiping a few drops of blood from it. B's hand returned to its Master, and a set of pale, but still pink, lips gently soaked up the tiny drops.

"…Goodnight, Lawliet…for now." Those stained lips crashed onto L's in surprise, and before L could even react in shock, he felt a syringe insert itself into his neck, and he yelped in surprise as Beyond inserted the drug into his system.

It took mere second, at the most a minute, for the sleeping drug to take effect, and L's heavily eyelids fell on glazed over midnight orbs, the last thing they saw was a stern look upon Beyond's face as the raven fell into a deep slumber that was sure to last hours, if not unto the next morn.

"…" The copy was silent as he unhooked L from the handcuffs, the limp, prone body of the elder of the two resting gently in B's grasp. The silence continued as the man walked the sleeping beauty back to the room he had chosen for his hostage.

With a gentle bang, the man stepped into L's large room, and with care, placed the man on the old bed he had given the detective.

_Was drugging him REALLY necessary…? Who KNOWS what those mixes do to him!_

_I don't care…hopefully they give him nightmares…_

_If they do, they most likely YOU are in them…_

"…" Beyond felt a tug of something inside his soul….was it….hurt?

_You know that most likely is true…_

_SO?! I want to haunt his nightmares! He deserves it!_

_You REALLY want that? Are you sure?_

_OF COURSE I AM!!_

"…" But B said nothing, for…he really wasn't. Was the whole idea of maybe being a part of L's nightmares that bad of an idea for him? Was it really?

So, as silence permeated the air, Beyond chained L to the bed, taking one last gaze at the man who was causing so many debates in his mind…

And possibly his resurrected heart…

The door slammed with a thud as he left; and silence would fill the entire warehouse for hours to come…

OOoOoOOoooOOooOoOoooOOOOOooOoOooOOoooo

_**Thousands of Miles Away, Winchester, England: 1: 30 PM**_

OoOOooooOOoOOoOoOoOOoOOoOOooOooOOOooOOoOOO

"Are you SURE that is his name, Mihael?"

"Hell yeah, I am!" Mello bellowed as Near and himself were working in the library's computer room; with Matt keeping watch in case someone was to come by.

"But Mello, no man by the name of "Beyond" has come up yet on these search engines." Near returned monotonously, his dark eyes staring at the screen.

"I KNOW Nancy-Boy, just give me time…maybe…HEY, you and Matt switch places."

"…Why?"

"He can hack into the Wammy's computer system! I bet there is information there!"

"…I don't want to switch places. I'd rather stay here. You switch." Near stated coldly, his blank gaze now turning to the blonde

"WHAT? NO WAY, NEAR! I HEARD the name; I heard EVERYTHING, so I need to do this! YOU switch!"

"…No."

"WHY NOT?!" Mello screeched, grabbing his near by chocolate bar, and taking a big bite, trying to calm his fraying nerves.

"…No reason. And can you keep calm? Someone may here us, and we are not allowed in here without permission to use the computer room."

"I KNOW THAT BUT-"

"CAWW!"

Damn…

BUSTED….That was the signal Matt was to give if an adult was coming.

Quickly, Mello shut down the computer and grabbed Near's hand, charging out of the room and hiding behind some bookshelves.

"Matt…" It was Roger, "Did you just…'caw'?"

"Yeah, practicing my bird calls. You like?" The gamer replied with a chuckle.

"Eh…it needs work."

Retreating footsteps echoed in the quiet halls, and the blonde sighed in relief; about this time, he came to realize he was hugging Near close, a chocolate-coated hand over the albino child's mouth.

"Uh?! What the?!" Mello pushed Near away, who just shook his head in resignation.

"We're coming back here once there's little chance we'll get caught."

"…And that is WHEN?"

"TONIGHT." Mello smirked as he bit his candy bar,

"We need to do this soon…L's life is at stake…"

OoOOooooOOoOOoOoOoOOoOOoOOooOooOOOooOOoOOO

_**Thousands of Miles, in Kanto, Japan…2:54 PM:**_

OoOOoOOoOOoOOoOoOOOoOooOooOOooOoooooOOoOOooOOoOOOoOO

Raito had gotten NO, yes, NO sleep last night.

He had lied awake for hours on end, due to the haunting of L the World's Greatest Detective in his poor, godly brain.

…_I wonder…Nah, it's stupid to ask…NOT THAT I CARE ABOUT HIM EITHER!!_

The Yagami son had been debating internally for hours whether he should ask Watari about…this kidnapper, to learn more about him. He would not be able to kill him (like he even would…especially if the man was to kill L) due to not knowing the man's face, but perhaps Watari had a picture? NO! That was not the point of this! He was doing this to learn more about whom would seal L's sad, pathetic fate.

…_Raito-kun thinks I am pathetic…? That is mean…Raito thinks I am strong…that is why he wants me. Wants me badly…but you do want me UNDER you, legs spread open widely, yes? So I guess you do think of me as submissive…but-_

"…" Raito began to twitch at that annoying voice that would never leave him alone; perhaps if he asked about that kidnapper it would disappear?

_Raito is concerned about me! He shall come and save me now! …For Raito, I do not know how long I have to live…and you know, deep down, that you want to save me…so you can fuck me into the mattress later on… The voice gave a light chuckle at the last remark…_

"Well, it can't really hurt to ask if this voice will leave me alone!" The brunette snorted and silently left the investigation room, heading towards the kitchen, where Watari was making coffee.

"Hey…uh, Watari?" _Remember, this is because you are curious, not because you care about L, love L or want to screw L so badly he comes so fast and hard he shall never want another lover…WHAT THE HELL AM I THINKING?!_

"Yes, Master Raito?" The elderly man tried to give off a cheerful persona, but it was failing miserably.

"I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions………"

OoOOoooOOoOOoOOOOooOOoooOoooOOooOOOoOOoOoOoo

A/N: WOW…..I did really love writing this chapter! XD

And the next one shall pick up right where this one left off, with Raito and Watari's conversation.

Oh, and there were our little Wammy's Boys too! : D Can you guess which couple will come out in this story that has two of those boys in it? I bet you can! XD

Inspired by the songs: "Strawberry Gashes" by Jack Off Jill, and "Sugar Cube" by Porcelain and the Tramps. Also, by my friend on dA ThorW…the Bondage room idea was his! XD Thanks Thor!

Reviews are welcomed, as is feedback in general! Thank you all so much!! : D


	6. Utopia

A/N: Welcome BAAAACK…KYAHAHAHAH!! XD Yes, I love that laugh…

Anyway, welcome back to our wonderful madness of twisted-ness…if that makes sense? I hope it does ;D

AND we passed 50 reviews! Thanks so much, and please enjoy! And remember: Reviews and feedback are to me like sweets are to L, and jam to B….LOVELY : D!

Again, _Italics are inner thoughts; __Italics with underling are B's conflicting thoughts…_

_OoOooooOOOoOOooOOoooOOOooOOoOOooOOOo_

_"Why, then the world's mine oyster." _

_The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act II Scene II_

_OoOooOOoOooOooOOOOOOOOOOOoOoOOoOOooOOoOooOOOoOOoOoooOOOO_

"Questions, Master Yagami? What sort?" The old guardian had placed down the coffee pot on the marble counter top, and had now fully turned to the younger man, letting Raito Yagami know that Watari's full attention was on him.

"Um…I know it may not be my place…but…is there anything you can tell me about Ryuzaki's…kidnapper?" _Yes, Raito…play it cool…make it look like you care about Ryuzaki's…L's… well-being. What a load of bull… _The young man hid a similar to Satan's smirk so well…

"…" Quillish was silent, a hard stare zapping into the Yagami boy's sepia eyes. The man was acting overly cautious, but was that so much of a surprise? L was, from what Raito could see, almost like a son to you quiet elder.

"Look, it may not be my place, but-"

"No, Master Yagami, it is** not** your place; especially when Ryuzaki suspects you so much of being Kira. I am not sure that he would appreciate any information being leaked in general, but I know he would be livid if I let **you** know anything. I am sorry."

"…" Raito, shockingly, had nothing to say; no, it was more that…he could not find the words. He knew what the old man was saying was true…but why did…why did it hurt so much to know that L only thought of him as a troublesome suspect, a young adult that was intelligent, but most likely a mass-murderer?

"…Watari, I know that. But…look, isn't bringing Ryuzaki back to safety the most important aspect right now? I have the same level of intelligence as Ryuzaki, you know that, and perhaps I can do something to help?" The brunette took a moment to take a breath, "And no matter if Ryuzaki suspects or not, I do consider him my friend, and he does as well. And I DO care about him; I also swear that I won't tell a soul as to whatever you tell me, Watari, I promise."

_Yes…act like you are compassionate…act like you care. My, your acting skills have not diminished at all, have they?_

"…" The elder sighed, and with a shake of his graying head, he spoke, "Alright, Raito, I shall speak of this man, but I cannot tell you much. Please, sit." Quillish gestured to the wooden table nearby, and the brunette elegantly seated himself before the man, silent as a woodland animal during the hunting era.

"…The man who has taken Ryuzaki was…. once a successor of him."

"!?" Raito visibly showed shock, he knew it, and the chocolate orbs blinked rapidly.

"…Yes, I know, it may be hard to believe. Well, this man…he has had an obsession with Ryuzaki since an early age. A dark, deep obsession; deep enough to where this man actually changed his appearance to look like Ryuzaki."

"…What? That…that twisted?! How-"

"I feel that it would take too long to explain the how's, why's and when's, Master Raito. Besides, I do not even know the exact details and inner workings of Beyond Birthday's mind and-" Watari gasped as the name had just slipped from his weary lips as if he was speaking of the weather.

"...Who?! What was that name?" Raito knew now this was not just fake compassion building up; it was real curiosity as well. That name….why did…it sounded familiar…

"…L would be furious if I told you, Master Raito." Mister Wammy stated firmly, "Besides, his name is of no importance and he…this man has ties to L that are important, and if this whole ordeal has interference from an outsider, the effects could be detrimental to someone's life!"

"Yes, Watari, detrimental to **L's** life! If you know the man's name it is a start, yes?" _I wouldn't be able to kill him with just a name…not like I even would! W-What am I thinking?! _

"That is not it, Master Raito. This man…." Watari sighed a tired sigh, and let himself fall with little grace, and completely out of character, into the chair next to Raito, "This man is deadly, Yagami-san. Extremely. One wrong word or action could set him off on a murdering spree, and cause L great harm, or even kill him."

"All the more reason for you to repeat his name to me, Watari." The secret killer ordered firmly, hoping that the correct words would coax the man to open up more.

"…His name is Beyond Birthday, Master Raito. You may remember that name from the Los Angeles BB Murder Cases, if I am to assume that you have followed American cases as well as Japanese ones. This man killed three people to capture L's attention, and was eventually caught by Ryuzaki, with the help of Naomi Misora. You remember her, yes? Kira killed her…."

_Misora…THAT was when she worked with L?!_

"…Yes, I do remember." Raito could not shake the feeling that he had heard the name Beyond Birthday somewhere before.

"Well, Beyond was arrested, and taken to the Los Angeles Prison. But….not long after he was there….he escaped."

"!!" Again, the brunette knew that shock was clearly printed across his wonderfully framed face.

"And to prevent the public from worrying, the Los Angeles Prison heads decided to announce that Beyond had been killed by Kira; which of course was completely false."

…_THAT'S IT!! THAT is when…I…I saw that report!_

_And it WASN'T ME that had "killed" him!_

"…" Raito remembered now; he had come home from school that day to see the report of the serial killer Beyond Birthday dying in Los Angeles due to a heart attack, but the young man had no recollection of writing that name down days ago. He had written numerous names and seen a multitude of faces, but that name just couldn't come to him! He had even asked Misa, and the dumb blonde could not even remember the name herself, but Raito had just thought she was being stupid again.

But now….it had all made sense.

No face had been shown at all, no name given earlier as well….

It all added up to Beyond living……

And kidnapping L…

"…This is worse than I believed it to be…" Raito whispered to himself, not meaning Watari to hear it, but the old man did.

"I know Master Raito, I know." He sighed again for the umpteenth time, "Fortunately, I have been trading information with others that know L well….on the other hand; we have found little information leading us to Beyond Birthday's whereabouts. I, and the others, all of us, are at a standstill, Raito."

"…I see." _Perfect…L will die, and then nothing will stand in the way of my utopia…nothing at all………But then why…why do I…_

"Master Raito? You seemed….you seemed to be dazing at nothing…are you ill?" Watari commented at the silent man, whose sepia eyes were glued to the table, a neutral expression on his face.

"Oh? Uh, I am fine Watari. Just….concerned, that is all." The young man, sadly, for he would never consciously admit it, was not one-hundred percent lying in this case.

"Of course you are. Deep down, I can tell you do care about Ryuzaki, no matter what the accusations may be. But, I must speak honestly, Master Raito; I do follow Ryuzaki's judgment. And if he suspects you of being Kira, I am prone to believe him, for Ryuzaki has rarely been wrong with decisions he has made."

"…Rarely? You don't mean the great L has made-"

"As many have stated before….we are only human, we make mistakes. Ryuzaki has made his set of them; the majority of them when he was much younger.", The caretaker was silent for a moment, "Sadly, if I had stopped him from making those mistakes all those years ago, maybe….maybe I…we…would not be situated in this mess." Another dreary sigh escaped those aged, wise lips.

"…" Raito had a feeling that the older gentleman would not be sharing any more details about that, so he kept quiet. Silence was better than spewing nonsense.

"Now, if you excuse me, Raito, I have to bring coffee to the other gentlemen." With that and a bow, Quillish excused himself, leaving the brunette alone with his thoughts.

…

_Well, Raito…you find yourself in an interesting situation, do you not…? Heh…interesting indeed, yet also very helpful… _

_Extremely helpful…Ahahaha…_

Oh, poor unfortunate Raito…..I shall not bore you with any hit of foreshadowing, or a long-drawn out explanation of his conflicting thoughts. I am not here to tell **that** tale, only this one, the one of twisted sanity and hearts gone asunder.

But I shall state this, if not for the sake of knowing what is going on in the young man's mind:

He was finding it harder to stay stone-cold Kira, with attachments to no man, beast, or soul, now that he knew new information about Ryuzaki…Ryuga…L.

_Am I too just let him die…? _

…_What am I saying? Of course I shall…L means nothing to me…absolutely nothing…_

…_He shall forever remain that to me as well…Nothingness…_

_A figment of dark light that shall be exterminated with my golden own…_

_If that man does not get rid of him first...Poor L, it seems you are about to meet your maker…yet, it shall not be me…it shall not be Kira…_

…

_I bet he's torturing you, isn't he…? Obsessions are deadly, Ryuzaki, they certainly can be. N-Not that I have sympathy for you…I shall forever have none!_

Tsk Tsk, Raito……it was too bad, terribly sad, that the man could not see…

That he was obsessed himself…

OOoOoOOoOOOOOoooooooooOOooooooooooooooOOo

_**Miles Away, B's Warehouse: Hours Afterwards, 7:18 PM**_

OoOOoOOoOOooOOoooOooOOoOOOoooOooOOOooOOoOoO

He did not know where he was, why he was cold, what he was doing, nor what the metal objects that was touching his wrists were…

All L Lawliet knew was that, as he began to open his dark, murky orbs, he was stark naked, immobile, hanging upon the Saint Andrew's cross that had been in that bondage room he had been in the day before, and a blue ball gag was in his pale, wet mouth.

"Mmph!?" The detective struggled against the cross' bonds, eyes wide and full of dread. Was this a nightmare? Had that drug before destroyed his brain?

"…This is no nightmare, Lawliet. Do you like it?" Beyond's voice pierced the darkened room's aura of dread that had encompassed the metal dwelling the moment L had awoken.

A dark chuckle came from B as he stepped from the corner's shadow, a hellish smirk upon his lips, which were stained a precious pink that was similar to that of the color of jam. He was half-naked, only a pare of baggy, bloody jeans donned his lanky form; in the dark, L could still make out the scars on B's chest, most likely due to the light glow of the moon coming in from the tiny window nearby.

"…You seem scared, L. Are you? Do you…" The killer stepped closer, touched L's chest with feathery caresses, "Fear your God? And….maybe even…" Here, B leaned up, breathing hot, moist breath in the detective's ear, "Lust after your Lord and Master?" A wet muscle escaped B's cavern of a mouth, and came to lick Lawliet's cheek in a slow manner, causing the older man to shiver and try to squirm away from the sensations.

"Kyahaha…Oh, Lawli-pop. You squirm in delight…or is it fear?" Beyond sighed, "Sadly, I cannot tell. Oh, but we shall find out, yes? Oh, and by the way…for the longest time, I thought you were deceased, Lawli. You weren't waking up, and…even when I…**took you** again, you barely responded."

"!? MMPH?!" The raven's eyes widened to their fullest extent, and he rattled the bonds holding him even more aggressively.

"Yes, Lawli, I raped you while you were unconscious." The man smirked evilly, a canine tooth protruding from his pink-tinted lips, "Though, it felt as if I was fornicating with a corpse. And it wasn't as fun; I love to hear you scream. If you do not believe me, look below. There is still some blood there, yes?" B pointed to the ground, where a few drops of blood were still pooling from the tears in L's entrance, "And I suggest not trying to struggle…your lower posterior and abdomen may suffer some pain, if I am correct? Hehe…."

L did try to move somewhat, but gave a groan and a wince came forth upon his porcelain face; the evidence was there, the blood and the pain, so it did seem Beyond had violated him while he was unconscious.

"Now, now…do not look so upset, Lawli-pop." B whispered sweetly, "It is going to get better, I promise. Well, I know at least for me, and…I can imagine that secretly, it will get better for you as well." The younger man turned his back to the detective, and headed towards one of the tables situated within the metallic room, "You see, Lawli, as you've probably gathered, suffering of others is a wonderful feeling for me...pleasurable…even arousing. Seeing the blood pour, hearing their blood-curdling screams, seeing them wriggling in pain...it's beautifully erotic. Yet, sadly, too much suffering can be somewhat of a distraction from the main goal of causing suffering in the first place. It can be…almost dull in some instances with its repetition. Now, many, like me, know that the main goal of causing suffering is for the suffering. To see all of those beautiful images, to hear those arousing sounds of utter bliss and joy. And we, those of us who relish in pain, are usually happy with our results. And we are not turned away from the monotonous-esque types of suffering that can result. But…if it does have a goal other than to just see the suffering and wallow in it, if the sufferer has** another** goal, say for instance, breaking someone to where they become only a shattered shell of their former selves, well, Lawli-pop, you need to make sure you do accomplish that, yes?" Beyond picked up an object set upon the silver metal surface, his back to L, the object hidden from view, "And that is why I need to make sure that you are indeed completely broken, L; I need to confirm that to one-hundred percent authenticity, Lawli-pop. And I plan to do that by making you experience the most painful, pleasurable torture as of yet, my dear little Lawli."

He finally turned to face the detective, the killer smirking all the while, and the other's eyes widened to gargantuan proportions once he laid his sight upon the object within Beyond Birthday's hands.

It was…a modified dildo.

Looking to be made of silicon, and of a fairly large size, it was composed of three colors: Hell-fire red, sun-golden yellow, and ice-cold blue. There were four dials situated upon the non-pointed end of it, each an ebony midnight black with a glossy sheen. Overall, L was not looking forward to what was to come; oh, he knew what was coming, Lawliet was not a fool. And Fear, The Angel of Death's brother, was beginning to haunt the older man once more.

"It is impressive, is it not, Lawli-pop? I made it myself; it took me many months, but I finally was able to make it absolutely perfect. And those guinea pigs that I used as well were amazing specimens to try this out on." The wielder of the Eyes gave a light chuckle, and when L blinked in surprise, he continued, "Do not fret Lawli-Lawli; I did not take them like I have taken you. I only…made them have fun with this wonderful little contraption, and then sent them on their merry way….to the other side of course." Beyond unleashed a cackle, and began stepping closer to the "crucified" man, whom began to struggle with half-effort against his bonds, giving off soft, pleading moans.

"Shh…now, now, Lawli. It's not going to be that bad……if anything, maybe in some ways you might enjoy this, perhaps even more than myself…oh, who the hell am I KIDDING?! Haha!" B knelt down, and in an instant, shoved the sexual toy up L's orifice roughly, causing the raven to unleash a muffled scream of agony at the intrusion, followed by wallowed wails of wishing for Death, not Fear, to visit L, NOW.

"Mmmph! Utt! Utt!" Screamed the gagged one and he tried to struggle, but that only caused the pain from the secret raping session to rise up once more, and Lawliet groaned again, hanging his head in defeat.

"Out? Oh, but if that happened, Lawli, I would need to replace it with a REAL one. And, that shall not be happening until later…Hehehe…" The killer rubbed his hands greedily, like a wicked toddler about to behave naughtily…extremely naughty. "Now, let's just start with a basic, yes?" He knelt down, pressing one of the visible dials, turning on one of the devices inside the dildo.

In seconds…L felt it. It was a vibrator that began to hum and move the second Beyond had pushed the button, and the detective groaned and gasped as the sensations began to wrack his body. There was pain there, due to the constant raping of him and the tearing of his entrance's tissues, but somehow……no, this was impossible!

There…why the hell was there PLEASURE with this? He was being raped by a type of sexual toy that had become a machine to a manic man! How…how…?

"Uhh…Mmph!" Lawliet winced as B move the dildo somewhat, causing a little shock of pain to shoot up the man's spine, but the jam-lover returned the device to its original position a second later…

Only to begin repeating his action; pain, no pain, pain, no pain….B kept moving the device, causing hurt, then….no, not pleasure ( L would forever deny that this was pleasurable), but just no suffering, then the suffering would return.

"UPP! LEASE!!" L begged without shame, and Beyond gave a small chuckle.

"Ah, so it does hurt. You are still torn up in there and yes, even a drop of blood or two is coming out, from what I can tell. Oh, you just want to feel the pleasure, don't you Lawliet? The pleasure that your God has graced you with today…" B stood up, and gently grasped the raven's pallid, but surprisingly becoming rosy, cheeks gently.

"Mmm…Heh, you look so pitiful right now, Lawli-pop; begging me for less pain, for just a little leniency. You say, in your mind, oh, I can tell you are saying this, that you just want less pain, but I can see it in these eyes L…you want to feel more pleasure too. All of what you're feeling, and some of what you have felt before, is pleasurable to you, deep down you know that it is." The jam-lover bit his lip on a mocking smirk, and shook his head, but you see Lawli…it is going to get much more…painful." The killer returned to the table and….his hand traveled to a sharp knife resting delicately upon the surface.

"Mmph! Hnn…Ah……Mmmm!" L was shouting muffled cries as he saw the man pick up the utensil, but suddenly, the device within him had touched something within him that made his eyes go wide and his jaw go slack. But the feeling vanished almost as quickly as it had appeared, and the feeling of only have that one….blissful sensation enwrap his body vanished as well, and the mixed bag of feelings returned; pain, agony, and….and pleasure (though he hesitated to admit this made him feel well) were all wrapped up in this "gift" Beyond Birthday had shoved at him.

"Oh…..That was a cry of pleasure, Lawli...KYAHAHAHA! You DO feel pleasure from this torture, don't you? I KNEW it, for I am NEVER wrong!" Another hurtful bellow from the killer echoed off the walls of the room, and B stepped closer with the knife, bringing the edge to the other's cheek as the vibrator continued to make the detective feel such a rainbow of emotions and sensations.

"Now, Lawli…I want you to tilt your head while looking at the scars upon my chest."

"?" L gave a confused expression, his body now beginning to shiver and slightly spasm with the vibrations.

"JUST. DO. IT. NOW!" Beyond ordered, and pushed the side of the knife harder against L's cheek, not cutting him, but mutely threatening him if he would not follow his Master's order.

Blinking at the harshness, Lawliet tilted his head, gazing at the scars upon B's slender figure. They looked as if they were random slashed upon his thinly-built body, but the detective knew that there had to be a reason for the man commanding him to do this odd action.

But then….it hit him…

The scars….they **did** form something….and L's eyes widened again, a muffled gasp coming forth.

"Well, L? What do you see? Do you see…something familiar?"

"…L." It was a muffled letter from the detective, but B understood him completely.

"That's right, Lawli. These scars make out an L…archaically, of course, and somewhat roughly. But I was able to make them form an L once you look hard and carefully enough. You did this to me, Lawliet," The man continued the rest with a snarl settled upon his face, his blood-red eyes flashing pure, deadly hatred, "You made me whom I am today…and there is nothing you can do about it."

"…" L was silent, and found that he could not look at B, look him in the eye, for the time being.

"But now….it is time to mark you, Lawli-Lawli. You shall experience sheer pain like I experienced that day…it wasn't just an experiment that day, L. It was a rite of passage that you forced me upon, one that I had to journey to on my own….BEYOND help from others."

The man picked up the deadly weapon, and it glistened in the little light that was shining in the room, and B gently pressed the tip to L's chest, just below his right nipple.

"Now, do not worry, L. I am not going to kill you here and now. When that is to happen…you shall feel only pain, misery, and torture. Not an ounce of pleasure shall be graced upon to your damned soul. So…" The killer gently sunk the weapon into the skin, not enough to kill, but deep enough to make the wound begin to bleed, deep enough to wear it would leave a permanent scar.

"MMMH!" L screamed in pain, closing his eyes, trying to block out all sensations enrapturing his body…

But Beyond made that even more difficult when he stepped closer to L, and using his dexterous foot, began to lightly jiggle the vibrator that was still slammed up L's orifice; moving it back and forth with his toes, causing L's own tiny foot appendages to curl in…bliss. Painful, heart-wrenching pain and pure, heavenly bliss…all mixed into one.

"Ah, L, you are enjoying this…feeling so many emotions wracking your senses at once. That alone is dreadful, isn't it? But maybe…you should cool down a while so I can do this with pure pain."

B jumped down onto all fours, and punched the running vibrator off, and another dial was pushed mere seconds after the other shut off its motion.

"….AHHHHHH!!" A muffled cry exploded from L as a new, purely painful situation enveloped him.

Freezing cold…like that of tens of hundreds of ice cubes…made his body spasm uncontrollably, shivering like that of one with hypothermia.

"Ah, yes, Lawli…that is the cooling system I installed within that. It makes your whole body feel as if it was shoved into a freezer, or if millions of tiny ice cubes had been shoved into you. I have to admit, this is one of my favorite techniques that I have discovered as of yet. For there is little pleasure here…unless you love the cold, which I know is not your preference."

"AHHH!" The cold was unbearable, and being fully nude made the situation much, much worse for Lawliet; the man tried to struggle against the bonds once more, but groaned once again, all of the pain finally catching up to L.

Beyond sighed despondently, "They only sad thing is, this might dull some of the pain, but I highly doubt it. Since it is set to negative temperatures in Fahrenheit, I can imagine you are in dire straits, L. Now, I should finish this line before your body tries to get used to it…" The killer continued to move the knife down L's porcelain chest, blood trickling forth as L began to scream once more in pain; the pain now doubled over as the cold temperature seemed to drop even further, causing the raven to wish it all to end.

"Okay…that one…looks good. Now, the next one, Lawli!" B chirped cheerfully, and began starting another scar upon L's body, who was now hanging his head once more, his lanky body shivering even more, and frequently giving off spasms.

"I think I'll stop there…..let's let you have a LITTLE pleasure with this pain…that sensation, with those two basic ones combined, makes all men and women feel orgasmic, Lawliet; or at least full of pleasure."

…

The cold sensations vanished as B clicked off another button, and L's body finally calmed down, holding completely still save a few tiny shivers.

"Now, how you react to this shall be quite interesting indeed…." B whispered, and pressed another button, clicking into the on setting with a somewhat loud noise to L's ears…but perhaps that was because his senses were on high alert.

"…Ahhhh! Stup! Plwease!" L begged as heat, scorching heat, encased his body next. It was far from wonderful, but somehow…there was something…nice about it.

"Oh, Lawli…that begging is quite cute. You'll get used to the heat in time. I also have to say, the heating feature on this wonderful toy is quite lovely as well. The high temperatures make your body feel as if it was on fire, burning in all of the infernos Dante described, yes? But…I wonder….How you will act if I did this…"

B began to make another cut upon L's chest, causing him to yell violently into the night air, throwing his head back as far as it could go, and now tears began to fall from his hallowed, midnight eyes, despite them being shut tightly; the tears began to streak his already-marked-with-sorrow face once more.

Blood continued to dampen L's pristine chest, the deep scratch would surely leave a wound in time that would be there for all of eternity. The feeling of fire within his body strengthened, increased, and the detective's toes curled due to the warmth, and the mild pleasure coursing through his veins. Beyond knew what he was doing; that was painfully obvious. He knew L was feeling painful pleasure, due to the cutting, which itself was a horrid experience; but the heat exploding within L's inner body was somehow dulling the pain, making it almost…

Deathly lovely in a way…

"Mm….Your tears are drying up, Lawli. Is it from the heat of high temperatures running through you or because this actually feels…good to you? Hmm…perhaps a mix of both? Oh! I know how I can find out!" B proclaimed happy, and in seconds, he began roughly, harshly…demonically…carving another scar into L's chest, and the raven screamed in agony, for this was the deepest cut so far upon Lawliet's being; a greater amount of blood began to drip from it, and L turned his head away so as to not look upon it with a disgusted expression.

"Hehe…don't worry, Lawli. I'm not going to kill you; you should at least try to believe **that**. Now…..I wonder……" B kept carving into the raven's flesh, but bent down somewhat, and moved the still heating dildo farther up into L, and used his dexterous fingers to jiggle it once more.

"Ahhhh!" L's naked form stiffened as the sexual plaything was moved within him, and regrettably, he unleashed a muffled, filled-with-heavenly-pleasure groan into the sadistic room, with its sadistic headmaster standing right in front of the captive.

"Aha! Yes, the pleasure is overtaking you, L. It is; I can see it in your eyes. You shall soon be begging for more, and I shall not give it to you. So enjoy this while you can, for these marks upon your chest shall completely show how far you have fallen, how broken you truly are. Enjoy this heavenly utopia while it lasts, Lawli-pop; for if you know your history, you know that one utopia usually conquers another, correct?" B grasped Lawliet's chin roughly, ruby orbs glaring into ebony, "And mine shall conquer yours. Your fall shall be completed after tonight….truly completed. You shall be mine for the rest of your days on Earth, and even afterwards, wherever you shall go after your sad, pitiful death; which, may be sooner, since you are in my possession. Hehe…but that shall be told later on, so why bother worrying about your untimely demise now?" The killer sighed sadly, and even gave a dramatic pout, "This is starting to bore me, Lawli-Lawli. So…why don't we finish this and then have some more fun."

…The heat began to disintegrate once Beyond turned it off via the dial, and L silently breathed a sigh of relief.

"…AHHHH! Ah! Ah!" But it was mere seconds later that muffled cries of pure pleasure erupted from the detective; B had pressed another button, and it made L's toes curl in bliss, gasp in breathless sensations, and his whole soul feel as if it was in a heavenly aura.

"That is the electroshock setting, L, and from those eyes, you seem to be enjoying it the most of all. I have to admit, it is my personal favorite. It sends electric shocks all throughout the body of whom the device is situated in. Though usually quite painful at first, you seem to have taken a shine to it rapidly." The jam-lover gave a small chuckle with a teasing shake of his head, "Perhaps because of the cutting…or maybe you are a masochist; you like being shattered, like feeling that pain in your veins because it makes you feel alive? Well, no matter…"

The cutting continued, the sharp knife slicing into the older one's skin, blood beginning to drip even faster. The electric impulses shooting up L's spin continued to do so, causing the man to regrettably echo noises that which should not be echoed during a somewhat of a mutilation session; though, this could not be specifically called that, yes, but….in some ways, it was a newer form of mutilation…

Mutilation of L's soul…

"Mmph! Hm! S-STOP!!" Lawliet's back arched automatically, without any action from the man's mind, and Beyond gave a louder chuckle at the action.

"Almost down, Lawli…just hang on…" The killer laughed heartily, the knife curving into L's flesh, then a second time a moment or so later, all the while L's body raked with spasms, shivers, and he voiced shouts of sheer enjoyment.

"And…DONE!" One last rough cut through the captive's chest left a final scar, and L screamed out one last time as the knife dug into him, letting loose another stream of blood down the pasty, bony chest. He smiled as the gashes had formed a rough-looking, but still clearly visible B.

"Mmm…" L hung his head as Beyond turned off the dildo's electroshock sensors, and ripped the toy violently from L's entrance, a few drops of blood from the torn tissue sprinkling the ground. A few seconds later, Beyond had removed the gag from L's mouth, letting it fall to the ground, and the detective began taking in many, much-needed breaths.

…

CLANG…

Beyond had quietly removed the bonds holding L to the Saint Andrew's Cross, and the lanky man had fallen to the metal ground with a loud crash; the man did not bother to even move, he let his prone body lay there, his dark eyes staring into nothingness.

"Get up L." B ordered dictatorially, and when the captive just continued to lay there, he sighed in exasperation, and tugged Lawliet up roughly, "Fine, you choose to not obey, I'll MAKE you obey.

L hung in Beyond's grasp like a rag doll, not looking or paying attention to anything; if he would have lifted his head up, he would have seen a smirking B, but that was not to happen…yet.

SLAM…

Lawliet felt his body be slammed against a wall, and against many rough ropes as well, which began to dig into his back, but the man showed no emotion at any of it.

"Now…**I** need some fun, L." A button being undone, a zipper slowly being unzipped sounded out in the room, but L paid no heed…

Why bother to care now…?

It was all over…

He knew…

He was to die here……

Maybe not **here**, in this room, per se…

But Beyond was eventually finish him off…

It was only a matter of time……

Before, L had known he was not ready to die, but…

That was before he had been shattered like a cheap mirror found in the garbage on a Saturday morning…

…Now death…death was just a way to get the hell out of this Ninth Circle…

"Now, now, Lawli…aren't you going to respond at all?" Beyond had stepped closer, and after grasping L's shoulders roughly, he inserted himself into the detective, who unleashed a scream, and did indeed wince, but he formed no tangent words, no solid sentences.

"Uhh…Lawli, you don't know how much I enjoy seeing you like this…bleeding because of me, for me. It's…heavenly." The killer began thrusting rapidly in and out, and L gave out small screams, but had barely the strength to make any sort of noise, show any reaction, or let any emotion bloom forth at all.

Beyond gave out small groans and moans, the heat of L's entrance, which began to bleed profusely again, for the infinite time since he had kidnapped the older man, was enveloping his twisted soul once more in an aura of pure unfiltered heavenly bliss.

"Uh…Lawli……now…I should mark you…in another way…" B chuckled, and leaned up, his nails digging into L's shoulders even more so, and opened his mouth wide, showing pointed fang-like canines and molars ready to move in for the kill.

…

"AHH!" L rained a scream of anguish down upon the room the second B's teeth sunk into the flesh of his neck, biting extremely hard, piercing the skin instantaneously, blood trickling down from the wounds to his collarbone. "S-STOP! N-AH!" B had begun thrusting in and out once more, his teeth sinking deeper into the skin of the poor captive raven.

B continued biting, and even went to sucking the flesh roughly, and only broke away, after many a long time, to throw his head back in ecstasy and give a low moan as he came inside the broken detective.

"…Hah…Hah……Heheheh…" Beyond chuckled darkly, and lent up to whisper hotly in L's ear, "I'll never stop, Lawli-pop. Not until you are six feet under, dead for the worms to eat as delicious food. Or…no, maybe I won't stop when you are dead. For wherever you shall go, be it Hell or Purgatory, I shall forever haunt your restless spirit, you tired, broken body shall be gone, but I'll still haunt your poor, unfortunate soul. And yes, these marks will forever remain upon your body, these marks showing that you are mine forever, but, I can hypothesize, that if I had been given the power to separate souls and bodies, either by the God, or by the Devil himself, I would see marks upon your tortured soul, that would remain there for all eternity, until all of this is gone in the blink of an sad, little eye."

B removed himself from L's tortured body, and untied the ropes holding the older man up; so, the raven fell to the ground in a heap once more, unmoving, unresponsive.

"..." _The poor fool…he has accepted his fate…oh, well, it shall make it easier when the time shall come…which is soon…_

…_Do you still plan to do it, Beyond…? Can you go through with it…?Are you one-hundred percent sure…?_

_Of course I am…! _

…_So you're NOT in love with him…you know, there is nothing to hold you back this time; you are old enough to find love with this man, you are no longer vying to be his successor. Why not take a-_

_WHY…? LOOK! LOOK at him! Could he possibly fall in love with me NOW…!?_

_You did not deny that you are in love with __**him**__………_

_Shall I PROVE it to you I am not in love with him…!?_

_You mean prove it to yourself, since I am you? Alright, fine, do that._

_GOOD! I will! I planned to kill him anyway, I shall just do it tomorrow…!_

_You mean you shall try. You won't do it though, I know you won't…_

_Fool…you underestimate me. I can destroy this man completely; I shall stab him in his heart, and sentence him to Hell, where he belongs._

…_You won't do it. But fine, prove it to yourself that you feel no love for this man, only hatred. Though, I wonder…if you truly held no love in your heart for him, why wait until now…? Could you not have killed him before…?_

…_I wanted to see him suffer, just like how I've suffered…!_

_And trust me, he has…but if you want to prove that you do not love him, go ahead. Kill him tomorrow, we'll see what happens, won't we…?_

_Yes, we shall…!!_

"…" B growled, and gazed down at the prone L, whose eyes were closed, his breathing light and hard to even distinct whether it was well or not. He roughly threw the man over his shoulders, and stomped out of the room, back towards the raven's own.

Throwing L onto the bed like he was slinging a heavy bag, not caring about the merchandise within, he chained the naked man up once more, the ankle and wrist handcuffs snapping into place. The raven's chest was still profusely bleeding, so B grabbed the older one's own shirt, and used it as a sponge to soak up the life substance.

"…Don't want you bleeding to death now, do we Lawli…hehe…" He tried to give a dark chuckle, but it only came out as awkward and pitiful.

"…B, why are you doing this…?" A voice called out, and immediately, ruby eyes cast downwards to L, but the man was unconscious.

"It's me, you fool…look up."

B did so, and the shirt he was holding fell to the ground in a light flop.

"…A-A……?"

"Yeah, duh, who'd you think it was…?" It was him; A was just standing there….his curly blond hair, his crystal blue eyes. He did look older, more around B's age, than the twelve year old B had remembered him as.

"T-This…this can't be…..you're not real!"

"Duh, I'm not…I'm dead, you fool. You're just hallucinating this, but I might as well talk to you, and let you know this: Think about what you're doing, BB. Okay? If you don't….one, two, or many people are gonna end up unhappy. And that includes you, you know." The "A" gazed down at L, and held a somber expression, "Don't push it away if it's real B…or you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Believe me…" A flashed his gaze upon the frightened killer, "I won't tell you my opinion of all of this but…let's just say, if it turns out how I think it will…I shall say that I was right from the very beginning." The blonde figment turned his back upon B, and started walking away, fading slowly away.

"Wait, A?! D-Don't go! What do you mean, you were right from the very beginning! Don't leave me again!" B wailed in anguish as the man was nearly gone.

"Heh…you've got Lawli-pop with ya, don't worry…Or…maybe you should, if this turns out how I think it will. See you…maybe we'll meet again…If God wills it…"

And with that he was gone……

Gone once more……

"…W-What…what did he mean…? And he had to have been real……w-why would I hallucinate that…?" Beyond was shaking, and for once, in a very long time, frightened. He ran from the raven's room, and once he placed his shivering back against the cold, hallway wall, the killer's strength finally gave out and slide to the floor, in a shivering, upset heap.

"Wha…What is happening to me…?" B whispered to himself, his special Eyes locked onto the dirty ground and he realized they were becoming somewhat…moist.

_N-No…b-be strong…this…_

_This will all end soon enough…and you know it…_

_And you know what will happen…_

"…Yes…" Beyond snarled, a grimacing smirk settled upon his lips. "It shall all end tomorrow…Lawli…KYAHAHAHAHA! It will, it will! I shall end it all!!"

It was time……Time for judgment…

Time for Death to finally come…

Now if only Father Time could make the remaining hours go by quicker…

OOoOoOOoOOOOOoooooooooOOooooooooooooooOOo

_**Thousands of Miles Away, Winchester England….Late in the Afternoon, Half Past 3**_

OoOOoooOOooOOoOOOooOOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOoOoooooooOoOOOooo

"You spelled, BEYOND wrong, Mello." Near blatantly pointed out, shaking his head as the young blonde was searching through Wammy's House's official documents, thanks to Matt's helpful hacking.

"…N-NO I DID NOT!" The chocolate lover growled, and would never admit that he had spelled the name as "Beyund"…how did stupid Near ALWAYS see his mistakes?! HOW?!

"…" The albino boy didn't even waste precious time with commenting on that, and just watched as Mello fixed the spelling and brought up a page.

"…Nothing, Near. They've probably hidden any records on, especially if he ran away, right?"

"…Perhaps, that would seem logical. But these are the top documents and web pages; they would not be that stupid to throw all of these away, yes?"

"Yeah…..then why…wait, look." The blonde pointed to a link on the screen labeled "Those That Are Gone, Those We Leave Behind."

"Press it." The owner of hundred of toys ordered, and the other complied bringing up…

A memorial page…

Adorned with flying cherubs and black ribbons at the top, and black roses at the bottom, there were two pictures, two links on the page.

One of a bright, blue-eyed boy, with curly blonde hair, who was shining a one-hundred watt smile.

Under the picture…the lone letter A, this was highlighted as a link…

The other picture was of a dark-brown haired boy, who was not smiling, but instead giving a teasing pout. You could tell, from the look in his….red….eyes that he was happy, but teasing the camera into making it, and the people behind it believe otherwise. It was almost downright cute, in a way. He had fairly pallid skin, but still a healthy hue.

Under that picture…the single letter B, also highlighted to show a link…

Under those two pictures were the words:

_The two whom we lost…the ones we could not save…One has perished, another is Lost forever to us…The second we had believed to be dead for so long is still alive, but shall never return to us, or the side of God…_

_May both find a way to Paradise…be it in Heaven or Upon here on Earth…_

_You shall forever remain in our thoughts and prayers, Alleck Adaniels and Beyond Birthday…_

_Amen._

"Hey, Mello…"

"Already pressing it, Nancy Near." In seconds, the "B" link was pressed, and up popped B's page, stating everything:

_Name: Beyond Birthday_

_Wammy's Code: B_

_Birthday: Uncertain…Current Age believed to be around 19_

_Birthplace: London, England_

_Average GPA here at Wammy's: High 4.0's…was in line for second to succeed L._

_Hobbies: Greatly into Dark Literature (i.e. Poe, Shakespeare, etc.), had few friends, but Alleck Adaniels (A) was one of them. Had a colder disposition, was quiet and kept to himself. Favorite food was jam, preferably strawberry, consumed it in great amounts. Had the highest admiration for L that I have ever seen in a man to this day; but sadly this admiration turned into obsession._

_Incident: Ran away from Wammy's House at the age of fifteen...devised the LABB murder cases, caused the deaths of three people, one man, two women._

_Location Now: It was presumed that B was dead, but recent events, as of just over two days ago, I have found that the man is alive. And most likely is not far from the Kanto area. _

_Known Aliases: Rue Ryuzaki, Benedict Betouix, Biyokoi Buichi, Bantini Bemouir, and Bernard Buchwald. Other names may be out there, but these are the ones which have been found. _

_**NOTICE: We need ANYONE with information on the location of B/Beyond Birthday to contact Wammy's immediately. Any person belonging to Wammy's and is reading this, we need your assistance. Someone important is in grave danger, and unless B is found, said man will most likely die within the week. We need all the help we can get.**_

_-Quillish Wammy (Watari)_

"…So…what do we do?" Mello asked, turning to the other young one, and was surprised to see Near already writing down information.

"What else? We start looking up information on our own, without letting Roger know. Really, Mello…please use your head, this is a serious situation."

"…" The blonde wanted to punch the white-haired protégé so hard, the bruise would be dark enough to contrast the child's white hair and clothes; but he maintained his cool, and voiced a question that came to mind, "Wait, what? By ourselves? So…no help from Roger? And where do we start!?"

"Of course not. If Roger even found out that we **knew **about Beyond Birthday, we would be in great trouble. We are smart enough to handle this Mihael, you better be since you are second in line, so why not try? We can gather information and then send it to Watari secretly, perhaps under Roger's name or that of another Wammy's personnel. As for where we start….." The snow-haired child held up a list of all of B's aliases, listed in alphabetical order, "We start with these. Most likely, this man is using one of these names wherever he is; be it to buy things, rent places, etcetera. This man also might have used it to kidnap L somehow, either through deception, trickery or another condition. We can start searching the Japan area with these names."

"Y-Yeah…I knew that! But-"

"MOOOOOO" Again, it was another sound from Matt; Roger was nearby…again…

"Mail Jeevas, WHY are you mooing like a bovine?!" Mr. Ruvie was not pleased this time, especially since many of the children were trying to study at the moment.

"…Because I'm trying out for the play Animal House?"

"…One, I believe that was not a play, but a movie, and two, said movie had no talking cows. But I shall let that slide for now; just go do some work, alright?"

"Will do, Sir!" The red-head saluted, and ran into the library, only to find Mello and Near huddled under the desk, the younger one on top of the blonde, in a position all too provocative looking, with Near's arms around Mello's waist, and the chocolate-lover's arms around Near's neck.

"Yo…you two want alone time, or what?" The gamer chuckled, with a shake of his head, causing Mello to push the youngest one of the three off of him roughly, and wipe his hands on his black pants roughly, as if he had the fear of contracting some form of Rhinovirus.

"Alright, Nancy Near, what now?" Mello spat out like venom as the albino child just shook his head sadly.

"…We shall wait until later tonight to come back. Matt, I shall need you to get a laptop and bring it to my room-"

"Hold on a sec, NEAR. This was MY plan from the very beginning. Don't start taking charge NOW, Nancy Boy." The blonde boy shot a death glare to the young Near.

"…No matter how much you despise me, Mello, we'll-"

"WHO said I DESPISE you?!"

"Stop interrupting me. Anyway, we'll have to work together, correct? We should work **together, **it might be the only way to save L. According to that notice, we do not have much time. If we argue, L could die before we even have a chance to help him, and we do NOT want that. If that happens, Wammy's will most certainly crumble, especially since I know that you, Matt, and I are not ready to take over for him. So…." Near outstretched his hand, "Shall we make a temporary truce?"

"…FINE." Mello shook the other's hand, and all three headed out of the room….

No words spoken…

This was a silent truce…

A silent…TEMPORARY…truce…

OOoOoOOoOOOOOoooooooooOOooooooooooooooOOo

_**Yagami Household, Raito's Room, 3:33 AM**_

OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooOOOo

He would never tell anyone but……

Raito considered this nightmare……

To be the scariest yet…………

Because it was the one that changed everything…and every thought that he had of everyone……

_He…He had won._

_Kira was the God of this New World; they were parading him down the Tokyo Streets, all knew of his glory. Adorned in robes all too similar to that of the Romans, and a golden and green wreath of leaves crowning his head, Raito felt like a God; by his side was Misa Amane, the second Kira, and even though he despised her greatly, she __**was**__ of good use to him. On the other side of him was his family, paraded through the streets as well._

_They were bowing down to him, his subjects, praising him highly, and throwing flower petals into the air, which rained down like silken snow. Women were blowing kisses at him, fawning over him, causing Misa to pout, but all that didn't matter to Raito. _

_The criminals were gone, there was no evil is this world. Children, women, and men could walk these streets without fear of anything. The mortality rates had skyrocketed, making for a living-longer population. There was enough money for all; there were no poorer classes now, only high class, with great amounts of money for all, along with food, clothes, homes, and material items. _

_Yes…this was all perfect…_

_The parade continued until…_

_"RAITO!!" It was a scream of anguish and it caught the brunette's ears immediately. Turning his head rapidly around, looking for the source of the call, he finally found it…_

_It was L…_

_Dressed in a blue Roman robe, he was being pulled violent by a black shadow, quickly, rapidly, into the crowds and towards a dark alley._

_"L?! L, no!" Raito heard himself call after the man, and rapidly, almost instinctively, he lunged from the carried hoisting him high in the procession, and broke into the run towards the raven. He pushed every person out of his way, trying to keep up a fast pace, but it was just too difficult, he was losing L…_

_His clothes were changing too…away from the Roman robes and sandals to his traditional button up shirt and tan slacks and dress shoes. L's own wardrobe was changing as well, and Raito noticed as he continued to run, the scene was changing as well; the crowds were slowly vanishing, fading to black as were the buildings, streets and all other items._

_  
"D-Don't lose me, Raito, PLEASE!!" L cried out, and there were tears falling down his pallid face. The black figure just let out a chuckle and continued to run, causing Raito to speed up even more._

_"L, please, just, hang-!?"_

_The young man felt himself trip onto a black surface, and instantly…_

_Came face to face with L's captor, who was standing not two feet away…_

_A devilish shaped monster, with red, piercing eyes that shone brightly like the North Star…_

_"W-Who are you…?!"_

_"Hehehehe…Why, dear Raito…I'm your little, loved Raven's…_

_KILLER!! KYAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!" _

Oh….if only Raito could tell…

That this nightmare was just beginning…

OoOooOOOoOOOOOOOOoOOOOooOOOOoOOOOo

A/N: :O Will L DIE? What does Raito's dream mean?! And WHY were Mello and Near holding each other like that?!

ALL are questions…………………that shall be answered eventually on this "Insane Soap Opera" ; D

As for why I cut it off here, well, I just felt like it XD. Next time, we'll pick up right where this one left off, with Raito's dream.

Inspired by my friend ThorW on DeviantArt, the electroshock aspect of the dildo specifically! And also inspired by "The Horror of Our Love" by Ludo. ; D

So, until next time my lovelies, take head of men whom love JAM and LAWLI-POPS! XD

And if you wish, leave a review! Hugs and love to you all! See you soon!


	7. Nevermore

A/N: HEHEHEHE!! QUICK UPDATE YAY! XD

Anyway, I wanted to update this quick since I had a LOT of cliffhangers with the last one, right? So…here you go! And we passed 60 reviews! : DD

Enjoy, and let me know what you think ; D It's a little shorter this time, but still, enjoy!! : D

_OOOoOOooOOOOooOoOOoOoOOOoOoOOOoOOOO_

_Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall_

_-Measure for Measure (Act II, Scene I)_

_OoOoOOoooOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooOOoooOOooOoooooO_

And the nightmare continued…

_"T-Tell me who you are!! Are…are you Beyond?" Raito called out staring at the miasmic figure holding, no, clutching, L tightly, almost in a suffocating manner._

_"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not…why do you care so much, am I not doing you a favor, Raito?" _

_"…" The young man stated nothing, but just continued to stare at the raven and his captor; the detective's eyes shining with worry, the murky orbs dotted with crystal tears._

_  
"See? You cannot even think of a good answer to that…because you know that it is true." The enemy replied, and gave a small, satanical smile, a dark, ominous chuckle escaping the entity._

_"N-NO! It's not! I…I deny it!"_

_"Ah…so…you __**do**__ realize that you love this man here?" "Beyond", or at least Raito assumed it to be said man, violently pushed L closer to the brunette, while still holding a tight grasp upon the raven. _

_"?!" The young man openly blinked and gasped in shock, and found himself to be at a loss for words once more._

_"…You do not deny you love your precious Raven? The one that you long to hold in your arms, whisper sweet nothing upon his tiny ears? The one whom you wish to kiss romantically and have as a lover? Well…I must say Raito…you shall nevermore have those chances. L is mine now…"_

_"…W-What?! No-"_

_"No, what? Certainly, you shall stop denying what your heart is calling for…? I can see it…why can't you?"_

_"N-No, I…I mean 'no' to…to the fact that he is yours…I won't let you take him!" The brunette hopped to his feet, and ran towards the ghostly figure and the hostage detective, but Beyond (now Raito was more certain than ever that this creature was indeed L's captor) only took a few, elegant steps back away from the man, and instantly, almost magically, the one known to few as Kira felt himself fall down to the ground with a hard thump._

_"Tsk, tsk…now that is __**not**__ the way to play this game. For, you see, Raito, this is all just, in a way, a twisted game. And now it is your move; for you will have to decide: Do I stay or do I go?"_

_"…What do you mean?"_

_"Certainly, you are a genius, or at least I thought you were. What I mean is-"_

_"What he means is", another voice pierced the darkness, "Is you're going to have to make a very important decision once you decide you want to no longer deny your feelings for this man, Raito…Sama."_

_A white mist had gathered up a few feet away, and out stepped…_

_Raito…_

_NO, this was not Raito…it was Kira. One could tell it was the maniacal killer, for the entity's hair was a bright red, matching Beyond's, and the irises of his once honey-colored eyes glowed a similar ruby hue. _

_"…Kira…"_

_"Very good, Raito! My, you even are intelligent when you face your own subconscious." Kira walked over to the captured L, and smirking, ran a muscular hand up the pallid man's cheek, and the raven began to shiver uncomfortably._

_"Hey, leave him alone!" Raito had tried to move again, but his appendages had become unusable; so he did the next best thing: yell, and wish for the older one's safety._

_"…Now, now. There is no need to be jealous, Raito. You COULD have had the chances to touch this man already…now it's Beyond's turn."_

_"…I'll stop you."_

_"KYAHAHAHAHA!" You REALLY think you can?! Have you even LOOKED at your options?!" The demon holding L continued his demonic laugh, the sound screeching high, a grating noise upon the Yagami boy's soul._

_"…Heheheh…" Beyond finally found himself calm enough to continue his speech, "…Well, before I continue, I must ask you this Raito…do you know now that you are in love with your Raven? Whom you shall nevermore lay eyes upon?"_

_"…" Raito was silent for quite some time, but the other two figures did not press him for an answer…_

_No…really, HE? In LOVE? It was downright preposterous…_

_He was __**Kira**__…he could not love, right?_

_But…that man over there was Kira, Raito was certain of that…_

_So…what was he? Was he just…Raito Yagami?_

…_And L…_

_Oh, L…_

_The pasty man had not left his thoughts for days, ever since he had gone missing…_

_Even before that, L had always been in the back of his mind, his face imprinted into the genius' brain…_

…_Raito would never say it aloud, perhaps only to L if he ever had the chance…_

_But he had come to find that man to be utterly beautiful………_

_He was not the traditional beauty, no…but those eyes…that hair…that skin and figure…it was all just so damn attractive…_

_And L's mind…it was…entrancing in itself……_

…_Seriously, L was the only one Raito could actually academically and intelligently keep up with and vice versa…_

_Normally…a person only comes around like that…_

_Once in a lifetime……if even THAT…_

…_And when you meet someone like that……_

_You should take the chances you have, be them many or few…_

_To make that person your own…your partner…your…_

_Your lover…_

…_God, how long__** was**__ he blind to this…this feeling!?_

_Raito was inwardly swearing, why didn't he realize this sooner…?!_

_L…L…L! It…that feeling…it…_

_It could not be anything but love! His "fake" compassion, his "fake" inquisitiveness…_

_Raito should have realized it was TOO fake…hence making it real…_

_It…it all made sense now…it really all did…_

…_But……was it too late?_

_"…Yes." The brunette answered sternly, firmly, sending a dark glare into the other two's eyes._

_  
"Ooh…took you long enough," Beyond chirped, "But…you still do not see your options, right?" _

_"What options? I love him, I'll save him…I'll save him from you somehow…"_

_"You may have had your epiphany," Kira spoke up, "But you still don't see it? Alright, let's say, through some miracle, you are able to save him. What then? Will you continue as Kira; while still loving L?"_

_"…I'll work that out when the time comes?"_

_"Really? So…you believe that you will be able to kill him when the time comes if you are to save him? You know to continue your goal…__**our**__ goal…you shall have to eventually." _

_"No, I won't have to. I'll find a way. Perhaps L shall-"_

_"Oooh…let me guess, he shall come to love you? Is that what you were about to say? Hah…once he finds out you are Kira, he shall cast you away like trash…and what then, will you kill him out of vengeance?"_

_"No! I'd…I would never do that! Besides, I shall have no need to. L will not find out."_

_"Oh, he will eventually…and you shall have to kill him. It is your destiny to be Kira, Raito Yagami…it is your destiny to be me…" Kira chuckled darkly, his red bangs of hair swinging when he shook his head pityingly._

_"No! He shall not find out…and…he'll come to feel the same way. I know he will! I…I bet he cares about me, whether he suspects me of Kira or not."_

_"Heheheh…just keep telling yourself that, Raito…but, that is an IF situation; IF you rescue him from me," Beyond taunted, and to rub it in Raito's face even more, he gently grasped the raven's chin, and a bright pink muscle, the demon's tongue, came out to lick the older man's face; L gasped, and his lithe body began to tremble erratically, "For you shall not be able to. You will never find me, and nevermore lay those eyes of yours upon my L…"_

_"I shall find you, I can figure it out. Perhaps if I ask Watari-"_

_"Please…that old man barely trusts you. He barely let you know about ME."_

_"…Then I shall do it secretly, Beyond. L shall not die by your hand."_

_"Oh…alright, you just keep believing that. But…are you really willing to give up your "God" status for this man; you are willing to risk losing it all for Little Raven? My…that is impressive. Since you shall certainly lose it, for you will be entering yourself into a deadly game if you do so."_

_"I will not lose myself and my becoming-perfect utopia. I will rescue L, keep my positions, and…" Raito looked away for a mere second, "I shall come to love him even more, and I know he will come to love me."_

_Kira began to clap sarcastically, laughing diabolically, stating, "My, my, my…what a proclamation, Raito. I can not wait to see if it holds up. You still do not realize who the players here are, and what they are capable of. But, you won't be learning that here, nope. You'll find out on your own, Raito-Sama. And…you shall lose."_

_A stern expression crossed the Yagami Boy's face, and a smirk settled upon his full, pink lips, "Don't you know that I love games? And I love winning even more…I'll win. I know I will. I'll beat you at your twisted, sadistic game, and save L from you, thereby winning. So…"_

_"GAME ON!!" Came the shout from all three of the men standing there, excluding the still petrified-in-fear L. _

_"R-Raito-kun! Help me!" The detective cried out, just as Beyond broke into a speedy run; Raito moved his legs in one last futile attempt; this time, they were working, and he found himself able to move once more, and he too broke into a brisk jog._

_But it was a waste of "energy"…_

_Beyond, and Kira as well, had vanished into the thick, miasmatic air… leaving a fearful Raito alone…_

_Until he felt himself begin to plummet into the dark aura, dark excess of his mind; memories of his encounters with the detective flashed beside him, words, images flashing before him as he fell into an unknown abyss…_

_L…_

_L…_

_L!!_

"L!!" The Yagami boy jolted upright with a start, his body shaking, and his brow heavily dampened with sweat. Panting harshly, the genius laid his head in his right hand tiredly, and even shook it somewhat in despondency.

He knew….he knew along that it was love…

But Raito had been just too damn stubborn to admit it…

But it wasn't too late, oh, the brunette knew that.

It was never too late. Not for Yagami Raito…

"…L…" The young man hopped out of bed, and ran to his desk, searching for a pad of paper and a pen.

In the far right corner, Ryuk the Shinigami had heard his "master" stir, and opened his yellow-black eyes.

"Ohh…wasn't that your third or fourth nightmare this week? You kept screaming 'L'…Heh…you've got quite an obsession with the guy. Hyuk hyuk hyuk…" The Death God broke out into a taunting chuckle.

"I'm not obsessed with him," Raito was still looking for the objects he desired in his desk, "I'm in love with him."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…" _SHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITTIMESAHELLOFABIGNUMBER!!_

"…AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!" The lanky Shinigami doubled over in laughter, "You…you said…you…AHAHAHAHAHAH!!"

"Shut up, Ryuk!" The young Yagami had finally found a yellow pad of notebook paper and meekly covered his flushed-red face with it in embarrassment.

"I KNEW it! I really did, Raito!" Ryuk heaved as his laughter was finally dying, "So…where does this leave **Kira**?"

"…This leaves Kira exactly where he was: On his way to becoming God of this world, and forming a perfect society."

"Kekeke…You know, falling in love with the enemy always turns out horribly, Raito."

"…So I have heard. But, I'll be the exception to that, Ryuk. L will fall in love with me in time, and perhaps I could convince him to either stop investigating me, or steer him away from the investigation somewhat. Or, better yet, just continue with what I am doing now, and L shall never find out it is me. I…I do…I do not think I could use him…" The brunette stated the last statement quietly.

"Oooh…Kira is finding a heart that he tried to push aside?" The apple-lover mocked in a schoolgirl fashion.

"…"

"Well, your silence speaks volumes, Raito. But…are you sure that you won't have to kill him? What if-"

"That. Won't. Happen. I'll make sure of it." The genius spoke firmly, in an asserting tone.

"But he is your enemy, isn't he? How-"

"I'll find a way! I…" He paused in his sentence, contemplating his emotions, "I don't think I could kill him now…not after this realization…"

"I see…well, it does not matter to me if your lover-boy dies or not. But, from what I heard, your little friend is in deep trouble…so if you plan to do anything, I'd make a move about…oh, say now?"

"And that is what I plan to do, Ryuk." Raito returned to his bed gracefully, and sitting up after turning on his bedside lamp, he spent the next hours, until the sun rose high in the beautiful Japanese sky, formulating a plan, writing out ideas of how he would carry it out.

_Beyond Birthday…I shall find you…_

_And I shall find my L…_

OoOooOOooOoooOOoOOoOoOoOOOooooOOoo

_**Miles Away…B's warehouse…The next morning, 10:10 AM**_

OoOoOooOooOooOoOoOOOoOoOooOOooOooooooOoOOooO

He only knew it was morning because the warmth of the sun's rays were touching his pallid skin as they shone through the high hanging warehouse windows onto the pallid, naked Lawliet.

L did not bother to move though, fearing he would be struck with a hellish jolt of pain once again. So, his beaten and bruised body just laid there, staring at the far wall; his glassy midnight orbs held no emotion, not that they ever really did, but this time…L's gaze was that of a dead one; Nothing….nothing behind those pretty eyes but cold death. It was just such a pitiful sight, all of the Gods, be that if they were to exist, must have been looking down upon L Lawliet with misery, woe and pity; or perhaps the malevolent ones were gazing upon him with scorn, laughter, and no feelings of remorse for what had happened to the man.

But who could blame them, and for the matter, who could be blamed at all? Certainly not any high-powered entities. Not even any normal citizens or Watari could be at fault for this predicament.

No, only L was to blame for this, or that is what the raven believed. He had caused this, had caused Beyond's anger to rise to this extreme level, and he himself, in his own weakness and shock, had caused himself to be kidnapped so easily.

A sad ebony eye turned upwards toward the ceiling, where the Wara Ningyo were still hanging from their string nooses, or still stuck to the ceiling by sharp, rusty nails. There were still thirteen, and L's original thought of if he would become number fourteen of the dolls haunted him again.

Oh…he knew it…

The raven felt it in his bones…

His death was near…

Perhaps a few would say it was just a stupid premonition, but Lawliet knew…

He had not heard any bells…

But bells do not always have to symbolize oncoming demise, death, and disappearance from the world…

The south door banged open not a second later, and it snapped the man out of his pondering, and turned slowly to see Beyond standing in the doorway, his shirt covered in blood, a snarl upon his face.

Immediately, Lawliet wanted to ask why the copy was covered in the heart-pumping life substance, and why a crooked smile was settled upon his pallid lips; but that would be far from wise at this point, so the older one just kept silent.

"Good morning, Lawli-pop…I am sorry for my disastrous appearance, but…I had an errand or two to run, but nothing to fear about…right this second."

The second must have been spoken of in the literal sense, for the scarring smile vanished, and a disgusted expression settled upon the younger one's face; an expression of hatred, anger, and disgust all boiled and baked into one.

"It's Judgment Day, L. I hope you know that." B spat out venomously, his ruby eyes scorching into the other.

"…I figured as much." L stated monotonously, coldly, his head turning back towards the ceiling, a blank stare upon his porcelain face.

"…Oh. So you knew you were to die today? Here?" The killer actually sounded genuinely curious.

"…In a sense, yes. I believe it to be, I could sense it….and I do not plan to fight it."

"?!" Beyond blinked, trying to hide the somewhat large amount of surprise he had acquired from that last statement given by the raven, "You…do not plan to fight it?"

"…No."

"Why?" The question came out the moment L had finished the last syllable.

"…I am dead inside, and you know it. You accomplished your goal; there is no real reason for me to live, or for you to keep me alive. And you did speak of killing me before, in certain contexts, correct? So I only find it safe to assume that my death is quite near."

"…" B thought over L's words in his head, still glaring icily at the other one.

_See…? What did I tell you…? He is ready to die, you completely broke him…_

_Duh…that was the plan, you fool…and I thought you would be silent until I initiated the killing phase of this whole plan…_

_I shall never be silent, Beyond, for I am you…I am your heart, your soul, your passion, lust, love…all which you wanted to give up years ago…though many try to, one cannot kill their heart..._

_Well, I am not most men, you idiot…I am stronger than them and I still don't believe you are a real part of me…_

_Oh, Beyond…you shall see today. But yes, our deal is still on, so I shall be silent for the __**time being**__. Prove to me, prove to yourself, that you can just kill L Lawliet without blinking an eye…I shall be watching…_

…

B went out back into the hall, but the detective paid him no heed whatsoever; coming back a moment later, pounding, angry footsteps banging on the metal flooring, Lawliet found himself pushed to the ground in what could almost be considered a fit of rage.

"Get into that damn crouch you're always in, L." Beyond spat, and when L was moving "too slow" for him, the jam-lover violently pushed the older one into the crouch; said older one did not even show a hint of pain or discomfort at the motion.

"Wait…hold on…" Beyond huffed, and went to a nearby cardboard box in the room, labeled messily "L's CRAP"; the copy pulled out a pair of jeans, a white shirt, and a pair of boxers.

"I stole these the night I took you. Dress…**now**…this might be more painful without clothes, and even though that might be enjoyable, it would defeat the whole purpose in my mind. Think of this as…the only break you shall receive from me."

"Whatever you want, Beyond…" The raven slid on the clothes fairly rapidly, his eyes locked onto the ground, and when his actions were completed, he hunched back into his crouch once more.

"Good…You're still obedient so that is good…" B reached down for the items that he had walked out to get, which turned out to be many tight, brown ropes, of various sizes.

In an artistic, elegant motion, the killer began tying up his hostage. Arms wrapped tightly behind his back, crossed at the wrists. Legs pulled even closer to the body by means of ropes tight enough to suck the life out of one's own body. The ropes twined around L, like snakes with deadly venom coursing through their reptilian veins, squeezing and taking away any forms of freedom.

"And……THERE! Perfect! This is called a box-tie, Lawli-pop! Do you like it?" BB looked as if he would break into the classic, yet oh too clichéd school-girl giggle.

"…I feel indifferent towards it. Why does it matter?"

"Ah, yes…of course you would feel that, would you not? Hehehe..." The killer stretched nimbly, like a gymnast, and even bent his back all the way, completing a cartwheel. "Now..."

BAM…

L found a foot colliding with his face, and he was thrown back violently, hitting the metal ground with full force.

"…" The detective blinked, and surprisingly, showed the emotion of shock upon his face, but it did nothing to distract the other man, and he sent another kick, with his opposite foot this time, L's way, and again, the man fell backwards, and even felt blood drip from his nose, which had received heavy impact.

"KYAHAHAHA! I needed a punching bag! They said I was crazy for being so violent, they called me "deranged"….Heheheh…Do YOU think I'm crazy, L!? DO YOU!?"

"…"

"WELL?! ANSWER YOUR MASTER!!"

SLAM…

A heavy punch set the immobile and defenseless L a few feet away from the copy, whom broke into another demonic laugh.

"Oh, L…this is too hilarious," B tired to control himself and maintain regular breathing, "You are just letting me beat you…so you are that dead. But….you should at least have the decency to respond to my words." The younger one snorted, and walked over to the prone detective, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, "Well….I am waiting for an answer."

"…Yes, I am just letting you beat me. This…this is nothing to me. And I do not see why I should respond to you when I barely have the life to do so. It just seems to be a waste of energy to me." L stated all as a cold, monotonous reply.

"…You did NOT answer the question which I gave to you before, you little piece of filth!" Beyond snarled, and slammed a strong knee right into the middle of L's abdomen, which caused the raven to wince, but he had bitten his lip to not make a sound.

"You…are worth nothing to everyone….do you get that…?" BB whispered diabolically, his body actually trembling with delight.

"Yes." Another bored, tired, worn reply from the captive man.

"You are to die alone here…and very, very soon. Any last words? Requests? I doubt I shall give them to you…but I love to hear pleas, Lawli-pop."

"…No."

"No? None at all? Surely every dying man wishes for one thing…who are you to be any different, my dear L?"

"I have no regrets, not anymore. And I only wish for one thing…" L whispered softly, his dead gaze boring right into Beyond's.

"…Anymore…So…you have pushed these regrets aside, Lawli-Lawli? You have found them to now be…useless?" Beyond found himself actually quite curious at the other one's cryptic words.

"Yes…I have accepted my fate, so all of those regrets have dissolved away. The Kira case….Watari…my new successors…someone I knew….what I wanted to do; I now know shall never be happening."

"Oh, yes…your new successors….The blonde, the red-head, and the white-haired child. I heard about them…do not worry, I shall not touch them. They mean nothing to mean, Lawliet. Only **you** mean anything to me."

"I thought you said I was worth nothing to-"

"WORTH and MEAN are two different pieces of vocabulary, dear L. Now…this someone you knew…what was he to you…please, satisfy my curiosity."

"…" L was silent for many moments, and it wore upon B's patience.

"ANSWER ME, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!! What WAS he or she to you!? Did you LOVE him or her?! TELL ME NOW!!"

BANG…

Beyond grabbed L violent, and swung him against the metal wall with a loud clang, the raven closing his eyes when the back of his head hit the surface; Lawliet wondered if he perhaps would gain a concussion from this, or would his head began to bleed…

"…No, I do not and did not love him. He was a suspect in the Kira case, and I wished in a way, he was not. I could see him as a good friend of mine if we had met in different circumstances. Besides….one cannot love someone whom wants them dead."

"…" B was actually silent, and his ruby orbs blinked at the raven's last words, something inside of him stirring.

_See?! Even IF I DID love him…he cannot love me because I want him dead…!_

…

_You CAN speak if you want, I don't give a damn at the moment…_

…_I won't speak long, I shall just say this. Perhaps…if you did not want him dead, he could come to love you. But that is not going to happen is it, dear Beyond? Or…it could, if you just-_

_NOPE…it shall not be happening. Besides, I have some proving to do to you…that I hate this man more than everything else in the world…_

"…" B, still holding onto the older man, flung him against the floor violently, and placed a bare foot upon L's roped chest.

"Hmph…of course. Like I could even picture YOU loving someone…you're a shallow, selfish, cold, manipulative bastard, who has never cared about anyone but himself. Don't you do those cases for FUN? That is what I've always heard. Someone like you could never love someone."

"…No, you're wrong, Beyond."

"…What?! YOU, love someone?! Impossible!! Don't spew stupid lies, Lawli-pop." The killer pressed harder upon L's chest, and the raven felt the ropes tighten around his skin, and he gasped in pain.

"…It….it is not that I am in love with someone….but…I…don't find…the emotion trivial…It…might be nice…to have someone…but…that will not be happening…"

"…" _Fool…you're such a pathetic liar…if you really didn't find love trivial…you would have…oh, God, I'm NOT going there…! You are going to die!!_

"..Well, yes, it shall not be happening L," B spoke up again, "Now, I recall you wishing for something…what was it?"

"Death." L softly replied, "I wish for death now, Beyond….that is all I am asking you to give me."

"…You're just giving up? Just like that, L?" The jam-devourer whispered softly, and his foot lessened its hold upon Lawliet's chest.

"Yes…you've taken everything from me. Power, will, spirit…heart….all of it is gone. I feel that I have nothing left. That I am some useless being…killing me now…just like you plan to, you would…you would help us both."

"…..Fight…back…" Beyond had bent his head down, his black bangs hiding his special Eyes, "You're just giving up like that!?"

"You broke me. What do you expect? That I was such a strong person that I could stand up to all?"

"FIGHT ME BACK YOU FOOL!! BEFORE YOU ARE TO DIE, FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE!!" B had no clue as to why he wanted L to fight him back, make any effort to live….why was he just going to give up?! Just like that, Lawliet wished to die?! WHY?

BAM…

A hard, rock-like punch flew right into L's face, followed by another, then another…

A rain of punches collided with the raven's porcelain face; then they began trailing down his arms, chest, legs, any place not completely blocked by the ropes that B's strong hands could get a hold of.

"FIGHT BACK, FIGHT BACK, FIGHT BACK YOU IDIOT!!" The copy wailed, his strength giving out, and he began to pant due to his erratic breath. B finally noticed L had not given any response to the brutality; no vocal or facial expressions at all, he still had his blank stare plastered onto his face.

"How can I fight back when I am tied up, Beyond? And even if I was not…I would not be fighting back, as I just stated." That damn monotone again…

"You can at least REACT?! I'm…" A hard punch was thrown right at L's eye, which was sure to leave a black shiner in later moments.

"Why bother reacting, Beyond? It is not worth it for me…" L droned out tiredly, and even though he was not showing pain, one could hear it in his voice.

"…It really isn't worth it to you? Your life…is that worthless to you?"

"…Always has been, always will be; for a time, I thought I was worth something. That I was needed in this world to do good, that I meant something to some people..." Lawliet sighed, his eyes, his lifeless eyes, became instantly glued to B's own surprised ones, "I learned all that was false once you took me away from there, and tore me to pieces, Beyond. Perhaps it was for the best that you took me. I don't want to live in a world where I am worthless to all people, and I do believe I am. Not because you have convinced me so heartily of it, which you have, but also because I can feel it in me. L means nothing to the world; I am just a crime-solving mastermind, but I'm not a good person. People always see me as a hero, when I'm just a disgusting person, who only gets involved when a large amount of money or many killings are involved. A real hero would never act like that; he or she would act compassionate and care about others. …What am I saying? Like there are any real heroes in this world…It all does not matter anyway. I'd rather just die and leave now; the pain that you have given me was just too much, and it showed how disgusting I really am…why else would you go to such lengths to put me through Hell?"

"…"

…_He figured out that I DO hate him…see, if HE can see it, why can't you…?_

_Because he is just thinking that due to all that you did to him…who wouldn't think that…? And besides…we both know the real reason why you hurt him so deeply; yes, you were mad and you wanted revenge, but…there is another reason there to, and you know it…_

_Bull…I have no clue as to what you are talking about…_

_Not right this second, but you will shortly…I am just hoping you see it before it is too late…_

"Beyond…just do it and get it over with. You know it's for the better…"

"…" The killer just continued to stare at L; he never, in all his years on this Earth, expected L to speak so lowly of himself. The man had always been prideful, B knew that…but it was like…

When B had broken L….he had broken down L's walls as well…

Is that what B stood for…? Breaker…?

Breaker of Bones…?

Breaker of People…?

Breaker of Wills…………?

Breaker….of Souls and Hearts…?

"…You want to die…? Hehe…Heh…KYAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!! FINE!!" A manic look came into Beyond's eyes and he pulled violent on L, "You'll die, then! Even though I don't want to please you in any sorts, it is comforting to know that you shall either be going to Nothingness or Hell, whichever exists, whichever, for I don't care where you go as long as it is one of those two. And you'll stay there for the rest of your days, burning or rotting, whichever is better suited for a horrid person such as yourself, L."

"…" Lawliet just nodded, and when B violently threw him across the room, his head hitting the rusty bed frame, he still remained stoic as always, his ebony orbs glued to the floor.

…This was it…

Judgment time…

The raven heard Beyond break out into another Satanical cackle, and looked up slowly to see the copy's own body trembling in what seemed to be ecstasy.

_Well, Lawliet…you're going to be killed by a manic killer who's obsessed with you…did you ever picture it ending up like this…? No…_

_No you didn't…But you woke up…you realized you wouldn't be worth much in this world…_

_Isn't that what that man said to you…?_

A final flashback came into the detective's mind….

_"Sniff...MOMMA!!" A little tiny L cried out from that horrible man's basement. The two-timing caretaker had chained the child to the wall with a screwed in set of handcuffs, and had chained the four-year old's ankles in chains as well on this day. The tiny genius stopped keeping track of the hours and days…the suffering was too much for him and his fragile body and spirit._

_"Hehehe…" It was that laugh again, and the stomping footsteps on the stairs that followed, "Is Lawli calling for his MOMMY again? Hehehe…"_

_"P-Please…c-can't you leave me alone…?" L begged with teary eyes as the caretaker came to stand in front of him._

_"You're my little plaything now; I certainly cannot leave you alone. Besides…my little Raven would get so lonesome…And it's not like you are worth anything to anyone in this world."_

_"?! H-Huh? W-What do you mean…?"_

_"No one cares about you, Little L. Your parents certainly didn't, for starters."_

_"They did too!" The child proclaimed with vigor, "My Momma 'n Papa loved me, but you had to kill them! I know it was you that did it!" Lawliet struggled, pulling on the chains, but it was futile. _

_"AHAHAHA! Really, now? Well, they let __**you**__ fall into __**my**__ hands…I don't know that shows loving…"_

_"…T-They didn't know that that'd happen…d-don't tell me that it's their fault!"_

_"Oh, but is. See, they were too trusting. You, on the other hand, oh, I knew what you thought of me. You told them "Mommy, I don't like him", or "Daddy, I don't trust them." You were already becoming a stoic, icy boy, yet your parents, both wanting to deny any feelings of uneasiness they felt for me, and to also encourage you not to become so cold, totally went against your own thoughts. And look where it got them: They're burning in Hell, and you're my little toy…my tortured little toy. Seems like a good situation to me, but I'd come to believe you think otherwise."_

_"D-Don't talk about Mommy and Daddy like that! They're in Heaven watching me!! They are!"_

_"Then why don't they do something to save you? And actually, we don't know if there is a Heaven or Hell, so your parents could just be floating spirits, forever restless. Hehehe…"_

_"NO! There's a Heaven! Momma told me all about it, she did!" By this time, Lawliet was in tears, and choking on his irregular breathing._

_"…You just keep on believing that, but I digress from my original point. No one on this Earth, or any other spiritual plane, gives a damn about you."_

_"NO! S-Someone does! Momma and Daddy did, and they still do, wherever they are! And-And at least person on this planet loves me! I know it! Someone has too! I mean really love me, like they'd do anything for me! That person really does love me, and he or she is out there somewhere, and I'll find them, somehow! Right after I escape from this place!" The little genius heartily proclaimed like that of a modern day Patrick Henry, and he began pulling on the chains more, hoping, just hoping, that they would break…_

_"Haha…you just keep right on believing that…Now, let's have some fun, why don't we…?"_

_"NOOO!! AHHHHH!!" _

_Thankfully…Little L would only have to live through another day of that Hell…_

……………

_Someone loves you…what a load of crap…were you ever really that naïve, Lawliet…? How could you be...? It is like B said; you are not the type of person to love, so why would any person love you…?_

_And…it is not like you are going to get to find out now…_

The raven's eyes moved, and met B's once more when the copy came to stand in front of him; in his hands, two extremely sharp knives. One was thicker, and had a wooden handle with two nails protruding out of it like jagged rocks. The other was a regular sharp kitchen knife, but anyone could tell that it had been sharpened multiple times; there were even a few spots of blood on the utensil, but L let none of it bother him.

The killer swung the wooden knife, and began cutting all of the binding ropes that tied the raven down. In a matter of minutes, the pieces of rope had settled around the detective, but it would not be for long, for Beyond picked up the older man, and flung him onto the bed on his back, while at the same time, discarding the wooden knife to the ground.

"It ends here, L…" B whispered darkly as he climbed up to straddle L, knees on either side of the detective's hips. "It's been fun, but I'm afraid it has to end."

"…Yes, I understand. Go on now, I am not going to stop you."

"But of course…" Beyond gave another chuckle, and, holding the knife tightly, lowered the utensil until it was barely an inch above L's neck…

His hand stopped there…

_Go on…do it now! Kill him! Let his blood run forth all over this place, take his last breath away NOW!!_

_I knew you could not do it…told you so…!! He means more to you than you thought…!_

The knife continued to hang there, Beyond's hand shaking; all the while, B's garnet orbs stared into L's own.

_What are you waiting for…?! DO IT NOW…!!_

_Look, DO NOT do it…! Think about this…aw, hell, I'll just say it now, admit you are in love with him before this ends badly…!! That is what A meant when he "spoke" to you…!!_

_NEVER…!! I'll never admit that! For it-it is-_

_A LIE…!? IT IS NOT, YOU IDIOT!! CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT?!_

_YOU are the liar…! NOT I! NOW KILL HIM!!_

_DON'T DO IT!!_

_DO IT NOW, LET HIS BLOOD SPILL FORTH!!_

_You LOVE him…!! You'll only be killing yourself as well if you do this!!_

_BULL SHIT!! I feel nothing!! _

_THEN WHY DON'T YOU KILL HIM?! PROVE IT!!_

"Beyond…why are you hesitating?" L softly called out, his dead gazing finally changing, into one that was hard and cold, "Just do it already."

"…Nngh…Hm…" B's whole body was shaking like fall leaves, the hand holding the knife mere centimeters above L's pallid neck shaking the most.

"Beyond….do it already, kill me!" L's tone went from cold to demanding in seconds, and he glared at the killer, whom had bent his head to hide his eyes again.

"Nng…Lawli-pop…" Beyond whispered quietly, the words barely reaching the raven's ears.

_DO IT NOW!! WHY ARE YOU HESITATING?! You came THIS far! Do NOT throw it all away now, you idiot!!_

_THINK about what you are doing, BEYOND!! PLEASE!_

"Beyond, PLEASE! Kill me now! Stop hesitating!" L bellowed, tears dotting his eyes, "Just end this now!"

_BEYOND!!_

_BEYOND!!_

"BEYOND!!"

"AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" A heart-aching wail escaped Beyond's lips, and the hand holding the knife to L's throat swung upwards…

And in seconds, threw the knife to the eastern metal wall, the knife sticking into a crack in the wall.

Lawliet gasped, his eyes wide as saucers, his jaw slack as he eyed the knife bouncing up and down due to the friction of being thrown so hard.

"B-Beyond…why……why didn't you do it!?" L lifted up somewhat, to try to lock eyes with the copy, whose head was still bent down, and soft mewls and whines were escaping his pale lips.

"Nngh…Lawli…I…"

"Tell me! Why didn't you do it?! Why could you not kill ME!?"

"Because……I……" B trailed off, his entire frame trembling.

"Because WHY?!"

"BECAUSE I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU, YOU DAMN IDIOT!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" B screamed at the top of his lungs, the shout ending with another piercing wail.

When the sounds died down, the jam-lover's eyes closed, and his whole body went still, collapsing onto L's with a soft thump a moment later.

_What…what did he say…!?_

The raven checked B's pulse to find it softly beating; the younger one had just fallen into unconsciousness, most likely due to the shock of what he said, and the past few days' events catching up to him.

L sighed, still stunned at what the other man had shouted, but laid back down.

_This…is just too…odd…_

L realized he COULD have run, right then. Run right off, and try to find his way back home. He was not chained, now was his chance, yes?

…But he didn't.

For some reason…something was telling him to stay. Perhaps it was that B could come after him, and THEN kill him. Or maybe it was the fact that he had no idea where in the world he was? Or…

Maybe B's confession was the real reason…

If L left now, who knows what would happen to the man…? He could…

L could hurt him again…except this time the hurt would be ten, no, a hundred, time greater…

So that was why L took the fallen B into his arms more, gently holding him. The younger one's breathing was calm, as if he was asleep, and Lawliet ran a hand through the midnight locks of his copy.

_Now…_

_There is no going back Lawliet…_

_No going back at all…_

It was going to be a long day and night…and if only L could read minds….

_Lawli-pop…I'm sorry…_

_I'm so sorry…_

Those had been the last thoughts floating through the killer's mind, as his body sank into a deep slumber….

ooOooOOOOoooOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooOOOOoOOOoo

A/N: Soooo…Raito loves L, B loves L and….L….just wants to die… .O

What a weird love triangle…XD

So, yes, the story is going in another direction now. More as a battle of wits and love that pure torture, I suppose. But…I guess you could say there's still gonna be some torture here, more like internal and heartache? Eh, you'll see what I mean eventually! ;D

Anyway, leave a review if you wanna, and I'll see you all soon! :33 Much love to you all!! Oh, and check my profile for a poll! Tell me if you'd rather see L end up with B or Raito!! : D


	8. Faith

A/n: Sooo…did I leave you on too big of a cliffhanger? Or too big of a shock? XDD

Thanks for all of the lovely reviews, alerts, watches, and favs! It means so much to me! And we've passed 90 reviews, thank you all so much!! And now, we shall continue! And go vote on that poll if you haven't! Enjoy!

_OoOooooOOOoOOooOOoooOOOooOOoOOooOOOo_

_The better part of valour is discretion _

_- King Henry IV, Act V, Scene IV_

_OOoooOooOoOoOOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooOOOOoOoOoOOoooOo_

_**oooOOoO **__**Beyond's Warehouse, Around 3:30 PM….**__** OOOooOo**_

All he could feel was warmth, lovely comforting warmth enveloping him.

Beyond Birthday was not one to experience warmth in his life; it was a rare occurrence for him in multiple ways. Being alone all the time for the majority of his life had left the man with a frozen heart, never feeling any emotion for others other than…well, mostly neutrality or hatred. Either of the two, or sometimes both; or sometimes it was mainly hatred for all, all of mankind.

And in the literal sense, B felt little warmth, as in heat. The killer had a preference for colder places, mainly due to his personality; and after nearly burning himself to death with the Los Angeles BB Murder Cases, Beyond tried to stay away from fires, furnaces, and other sources of heat that did not involve blankets or quilts.

But this heat…it was full of…of…

Compassion…kindness…

It just felt so damn good…

BB kept his eyes closed, but he scooted closer to the heat; he wanted to feel more of it, he wanted more of it to encompass his body. It was so relaxing, Beyond did not remember the last time he had been this relaxed and calm, it must have been years. And whatever he was lying on was soft, like cotton and denim. Perhaps he had fallen onto another pile of his clothes? No, impossible; his clothes were never this soft and, he took a small sniff, they never smelled this nice.

The copy began to emit a soft, feline purr of bliss; he just felt so happy, and he had no clue as to why. Wherever he was lying, the heat and softness made him a content man.

Moving his body up even further, another sensation began to tickle his skin as he lowered his head once more. Another soft surface, smooth, with tiny hairs; the man knew he had settled into some type of…well, he could not discern the exact shape, but it almost felt like…

A crook…as in……the crook of one's neck…

"…"

B breathed in the scent of whatever his head was lying near or upon, which turned out to reveal a musky scent, very masculine, but he could detect hints of blood, sweat, and….

Candy? Strawberries...Coffee and Cake…?

Beyond slowly opened his ruby orbs to find out that he was facing a pale neck, hence the scents he had smelled, and when the copy slowly lifted his head, he was shocked to find he was in L Lawliet's bony arms, whom himself was sleeping peacefully, a content expression upon his porcelain face, his breathing even.

The jam-lover sat up a little, moving slowly as to not disturb the sleeping raven underneath him, whose arms were still laced around the copy's waist somewhat tightly, as if they were afraid to let go.

_Lawli-pop…_

_Why…? Why are you…holding me like this…?_

_  
I…I don't get it…why…?_

B just stared at the sleeping beauty's face, his bright ruby orbs slowly tracing over L's face, his mind trying to memorize the detective's peaceful expression, trying to commit it to memory; it was such a lovely sight, in Beyond's mind it was. He had seen Lawliet show many emotions over the past few days: Anger, sad, fright, terror…hollowness. Emptiness…but never peace. And here, right before him, was the emotion peace plastered all over L Lawliet's face, frame and inner soul.

"…" Beyond let out a tiny sigh, and a soft shake of his head, the killer's ebony locks sashaying around his thinly framed face; the man sat silently, staring at the sleeping one, finally letting out a whisper, "When did this happen, L?"

When DID this happen? This…this was NOT what had been planned for weeks, months…years. NOT at all…

So when did Beyond find himself to have…romantic inclinations towards Lawliet? When?

_Idiot…You were such an idiot, Beyond…you have been denying for all too long…_

_A was right…But you stupid idiot, you had to be in denial for years. Which is downright sad on your part, Beyond…I wonder if…If this all started when you first saw him…I mean, when I did, I…I couldn't take my eyes off of him…Heh…I sound like a stupid schoolgirl…but does that make this true? Is this…l-love? HOW could I know anyway…? I…I never felt it before. D-Don't you have to feel it before to know it…? I…I never have, so doesn't that...make this a lie? _

…_B-But that doesn't make sense…dammit, why doesn't this make sense…?! Those stupid poets…they're always saying love doesn't make sense…wait, so if it DOESN'T make sense, it is love, which make sense…? Ah…Beyond, you are talking in circles…is that not a symptom of this emotion…? Babbling like an idiot…? A quite large physical attraction…? Wanting…closeness…?_

…_But those are all "symptoms" of obsession too…which is what everyone accused me of having. …So what is it…?_

_Obsession…love…or both…? _

…

…_I've heard people say that jealousy is the purest form of love…but I think it could be obsession. One constantly thinks of another person, sees them imprinted into their mind, physically, mentally, emotionally…you want to own that person. And didn't those damn poets say that love is, in a way, owning a person…? _

…_I have no idea as to what I am doing…great._

…_But…_

_I think I'm in love with you, L…_

…_Think…can I say "think"…? Really, now, you shouted out "Because I AM in love with you." …If you had said, "I think I am in love with you", along with saying it in a question or normal tone…perhaps you could justify it and say that you THINK you are in love with this man…_

_But that is not what you said; Beyond…You clearly stated you were in love with this man…_

_No sane person who is NOT in love shouts that at any person…especially one they are about to kill…_

_So…is that a yes…? AM I in love with him…?_

…_Scarily…_

_I might just have to say yes…_

…_Yes…that is a yes…_

"…God, L…what did you do to me, you crazy, sweet-obsessed insomniac…? Heh…" Beyond let a gentle, teasing smirk grace his lips, and the killer even brushed some of L's bangs away from his forehead.

"Mmm…Really, now…I did something…?" Lawliet whispered as he began to stir, his midnight gems opening slowly, his normally hunched back stretching as he sat up sluggishly, coming face to face with his captor.

"…"

"…" Both men just stared at each other; the silent was far from comforting. After last night's events…it was clearly seen that neither knew how to proceed.

"Uh…Hi, L?"

"…Hello."

_HI…?! HI…?! YOU…YOU IDIOT…!! First somewhat quiet moment between you two and all you can say is hi…?! Ah…_

…_I'm still sounding like an idiot…dammit; I think that those poets were right…_

"…So…" B internally swore, this whole "civil harmony around L due to romantic feelings for said man" plan, in least in B's mind that is what it could be summed up as, was not off to a fair start.

"…So…?" L drawled out tiredly, in his traditional bored monotone.

"Uh…well…how are you?" BB asked, an actually genuine smile graced his lips and fragile china-esque face.

"…If I may say so…what kind of question is that?"

"…Well…I…I want to know how you're feeling…?"

"…" L just stared at B in pure disbelief. The serial killer, who had repeatedly raped, tortured, and humiliated him, was asking if he was alright?

…Now, what was wrong with that picture…or statement in this case?

It was like a twisted form of "Where's Waldo?" but in this case it was "Where the Hell was Beyond Birthday Going with This Statement, and Can It Cause My Untimely Demise?" …

"…Why would you care to know if I was well or ill, Beyond?" L questioned logically, feeling he needed to get to the bottom of this.

"I think you know why, Lawli…you, uh, you remember what I said earlier, right?"

"Yes, I do…" Lawliet trailed off, his suspicion of the other rising to immense heights.

"…And…?" Beyond did not want to voice the question of asking Lawliet for his opinion, instead he tried to coax it out of the other like a patient mother to a secretly naughty child.

…Which was about as effective as wiping up the Great Flood's mess with a piece of paper towel. A **piece** of paper towel….

"And…what?"

B would have slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand, but that would have made him look like a bigger idiot than he was already feeling.

"…And…well, what is your educated opinion on it?"

"…" The detective just blinked, huffing out a breath a mere moment later, "Well…I am in disbelief, a shock of pure stupor, and in a way, I find it greatly hard to believe you, Beyond. Moreover…if you expect this little statement to change my outlook of wishing for myself to be alive at this point and time, you are sadly mistaken."

"…Y-You still wish to die?!" BB was in shock; would not a confession of love have some, any, effect on the person it had been stated to, perhaps changing their outlook on life even if it was only a miniscule sense?!

"In a way….I suppose." L cast his glance down unto the floor, "In a way…this…"revelation" can change things greatly in our situation, or it could not. …In part, sadly, yet understandable, I still feel…"

"…Broken…" Beyond whispered, mostly to himself, and the other had caught it, for Lawliet gave a small nod of his head.

"Yes…Beyond, just saying what you said last night cannot completely change everything, for I don't know your motives behind it, and-"

"And you do not believe me, is that it!?" The jam-lover felt immense….

Hurt…

Yes, this was hurt…could L not see that he meant it…?!

…This was bad, very, very bad indeed…

…_No wonder…of course he would not believe me…look at what I did to him…_

_Hell, even __**I **__don't believe this…but what else could this be…?_

…_I remember once, teasingly, A told me…_

_"You silly, you're in love with L! You're in love with L! Hehe…when's the wedding B? Hehe…"_

_I remember…I replied with, "H-HUH?! EWWW…A, I'm only ELEVEN. That's like…way, way, bad…he's like an adult, right, and so we couldn't do anything...I mean we wouldn't do anything even if I wanted to!!"_

_Heh…that was an interesting day…for the rest of the day, he teased me about that, especially the faint blush on my cheeks that I know I had…_

…_Maybe that best friend of mine knew what he was talking about…_

"Beyond, HOW can I believe you? Look at what you have done to me! Would you believe me if the roles were reversed?"

"I** would** believe you, because you're L! Why WOULDN'T I believe you?!" B was trying not to fly into hysterics, his self-control was about to slip, he just knew it.

"Beyond, what would happen if I had raped and tortured you?! Stolen YOUR precious soul, and shattered it! Would you be so willing to just go along with everything I said?!"

"…" The killer hung his head, making sure his bangs would hide his garnet orbs, which had begun to shine with raindrops of tears.

All of L's words felt like stabs to the heart, which was another feeling Beyond Birthday was far from used to.

"…Look, Beyond, I-"

"Just shut up, L…I'll…I'll make you see that this…i-is…r-real!"

"…" Lawliet just gasped when BB lifted his head, the younger one's beautiful eyes brimmed with tears and sadness; it made the detective quite uncomfortable, especially when the killer began to hiccup sobs, and his ruby gems came to rest just perhaps a foot above L's head.

"Beyond…I…"

"You'll SEE, Lawli-pop!! You'll see the reason why I couldn't kill you; what I've been denying since I was eleven! I'm in love with you, you fool, and you may not believe me now, but you'll SEE SOON!! Even **I** don't really believe it, but what else could this be?!"

The killer jumped off of the other rapidly, running to the northern door, flinging it open, and closing it with a hard slam.

"…" Beyond began to pant hard breathes, leaning against the doorframe; he did not even feel the two tears that had sprung from his eyes that had widen and were completely focused on the ceiling, nothing.

"…Why…? Dammit, why did this have to happen? I'm…feeling more pain now that I did before…"

B slumped to the ground, burying his head in his knees, a soft whine emitting from his vocal chords.

"…Why couldn't I just kill him…?"

Oh…Beyond knew that all too well; that is what he had been staring at the moments before he had run from the room….

L Lawliet's life span.

_I saw the numbers…the days…the months…the hours and minutes…and it seems…_

_L is to die…_

_On November 5th, 2004…at, though I could not exactly get all the correct hours due to my running out of there quickly…it looked to be approximately eight-forty-five PM._

…

_So that was the reason I could not kill him, and why he was not to die: _

_Because I was to fall in love with him._

_What an ironic, sad piece of twisted fate._

It was true; but sadly Beyond had not seen the truth, not until it was too late…

For Beyond could not kill someone before it was destined on their lifespan…

He remembered months ago, when he had encountered the woman known as Naomi Misora. The ex-FBI agent had been attacked by the killer in the alleyway, and even though Beyond had not tried to fatally attack her, he realized it would have been useless anyway.

He could only kill someone when it was at their appropriate time to die; or, in other words, when that counter above their head was nearing zero, when at the time of B's attack, that was to be fatal, it would be zero, thereby ending their pretty little life.

That meant he had the option of killing them, when it was fate for them to die by his hand; accidents, homicide (which **was **Beyond's traditional method of extermination), suicide, and other forms of ending one's life also made that counter end at zero, and Fate again played her hand here The copy had also experimented, and had found out he could change one's lifespan so he could kill them, such as sending them a note telling him or her to meet another person at a certain spot, then strike the fateful blow.

Other than that, it seemed Beyond Birthday could only do so much when it came to intruding on the laws of life; unless it was fated for him to do so, like it was for Backyard Bottomslash, Quarter Queen, and Believe Bridesmaid. Although, one could also say that perhaps it had not been the victims' fates to be killed by Beyond Birthday, for they could have most certainly died in other ways, and in all actuality, that was a high possibility; for their counters had been nearing zero when BB had come into the picture.

…But what did all this mean **now**?

It still meant Beyond had no idea of what to do in this precarious situation. There were just no visible options at this time…

_I…I still cannot believe this. No, what if…what if I am wrong…? What if…this is not what I think it is…?_

"Oh, it is. Trust me, it IS."

B picked up his head when he heard a soft voice, like one of a child, speak up softly, an angelic voice reaching his ears.

"…No...You…"

It was a child, indeed…

It was a miniature Beyond Birthday…huddled up in a crouch like the adult version was in at that same exact moment. A black shirt adorned the younger B, along with jam-stained jeans, ruffled midnight locks, and beautiful shining red eyes.

"Yeah…it's real, Beyond. You should have a little more faith in your own opinions."

"…Who are you?" The older one of the duo asked, the older teenage killer's eyes alight with trepidation and worry.

"You…your inner childhood; your inner child self and childish and pure heart, that's what I am. I'm not really real, per se…but in a way, I am. I'm a figment of your subconscious that has come to life before your eyes to get a point across."

"…My previous hallucinations never sounded so…sophisticated." Beyond remarked, causing his child self to shake his tiny head.

"Nah, they just have not spoken to you like I do; they don't have really any other purpose other than to warp your mind, confuse you, and make you do things that normally you would not want to do, right? Anyway, that's not why I'm here; I'm here for better reasons: One if which is to tell you-"

"Let me guess, you are going to speak to me about L?"

"Heh…yeah, but who else would we talk about, right? I mean, he's all you ever think about…and I mean **always**. Ever since you came to Wammy's, that guy **never** left your little brain."

"…Perhaps…" B bent his head down to hide a tiny, fragile blush, "But that could be a sign of obsession, right?"

"Eh…Love and obsession aren't really that too far apart on the "love spectrum". It really depends on how you use your obsession and obsessive tendencies. If one uses their obsessive ways in a traditionally "good" way, they'll most likely end up with the person they are obsessing over, and there will be love, bliss, yada yada, that stuff. But…"

"But if a person doesn't use it in the good ways…they don't get the love they seek, right?" The jam-lover sighed, but that in turn caused the child apparition to scoff.

"Nah…remember, I said "traditionally" good way. Maybe your unorthodox methods seemed, and probably were, harmful, but on the bright side, you realized your mistakes, faults, and issues. You see…you wanted revenge, and perhaps you deserved some of it; hey, if anyone had been in your position, I'm sure they would want revenge too. But maybe you did not go about it the correct way? In any case, you cannot go back now, right? And why would you?"

"…I would not be hurting if I had just…not kidnapped him in the first place."

"…Hmm…no, I do not believe that; for if you had not taken your idol hostage, you would not have discovered many things."

"…I discovered things…?" The jam-devourer was hesitant to say he had "discovered" anything, or multiple things for that matter.

All he knew was that he had discovered that he was, more than likely, though he would not say one-hundred percent, that he was in love with L.

…What a freaking wonderful discovery.

"Well, you discovered, first off, that L Lawliet is human, and not some robot-like machine. He's got a heart, feelings, and can be easily broken. And I don't think it needs to be said that is was found out that you, Beyond Birthday, are in love with L Lawliet. But…you discovered something else."

"Ch…yeah, what would that be?"

"L cares about you." The child apparition reached into the pocket of his jeans, pulling out a tiny jar of strawberry jam, twisting the top off roughly, and flinging it to the wall, where it went through the metal surface, disappearing.

"…I do not follow."

"Uh, you realize that you didn't chain him up earlier, right? He could have run off without you knowing. Though, if he would have found his way out, that is the question, but I'm guessing he would have; he **is** fairly intelligent, you know. But…do you even question why he did not run off? He **could** have fled, leaving you to wallow in your misery, could he not have?"

"…H-He probably was just scared that I would come after him once I regained consciousness. L is not that deep enough of a thinker to even comprehend-"

"Ah, but we just established that he is human, and therefore has feelings; feelings connected to thinking deeply, right? So why do you so heartily deny that he did not comprehend that?"

"…" It irked B greatly to know that he was, in a sad, pitying way, he was being outsmarted…by a child…himself as a child…and a child that was just here as a figment of his imagination.

"You cannot forever use silence as a way to deny when one person is right about something, Beyond. You did that at my age, and you continue to do it. That is the correct way to go about things, you know. It just isn't."

"…You would deny this too if you were in my position, kid." The killer snorted, shaking his head, and buried it in his knees, hoping, just hoping and praying, it would block out the sight of the child in front of him.

"Are you kidding? I've denied it for years….you denied it for years. A knew what he was speaking of all those years ago, you know." The miniature Beyond began sloppily eating the jam from the jar in his lithe, pale hands.

"No, that is impossible. A child at that age cannot love a teenager of sixteen. It's just not humanly possible." The older one stated quietly, his voice muffled by the denim near his pallid lips.

"Who says it is?"

"…" B lifted his head once again to look at the figment of his imagination, "What…?"

"Who says it is not humanly possible? Did your parents? Family? Friends? Or let's even go farther than that: How about Quillish? Did he say so? Or other adults? Politicians, teachers, scientists? **God**? The Bible? Beyond, I recall no one stating such nonsense."

"…" The ruby eyes of the adult crouched in the hallway once more ventured to the floor.

"Love…it has no boundaries; it-"

"How the hell would you know?! You're me, so how do you know that?! I've never experience love before!"

"Oh, but you have." Slurping sounds echoed in B's ears as his child-self began licking up the food greedily.

"!?"

"Don't give me that look, you've experienced love. Saying you haven't is bull. Quillish Wammy loved you, and I'm sure he still does deep down."

"That man is a twisted psychopath. Picking up kids from all around the world, training them to be the next L; do you really think that is right?"

"Mmm…you mean he picks up ORPHANS with nowhere left to turn, gives them a good home, and tries to get them into the top of society by using their intellect. He does that; and if you were smart enough to notice, he doesn't get disappointed when one of them does not become L. Many of them go into law, medical, science, or art fields, and become high members of society."

"…Fine. Alright, maybe he cared a little…."

"Oh, he did. You have to give him a break, he tried. He could not predict what would happen to you or Alleck and deep down, you know that Beyond. He wanted the best for you, and I bet he regrets what happened to you."

"…Perhaps…He was surprised to see me that day I took L hostage. And…I noticed his death date…" B trailed off, remembering what he saw, and it puzzled him….

_November 5, 2004…_

_The same as L's…only a few minutes before his…_

_I wonder…_

_Could L…could…Could it be-?_

"Anyway, there's also A. A loved you, you were his best friend, and friendship is a form of love."

"Hmph. If he really "loved" me, he would not have left; he wouldn't have stupidly killed himself."

"…" The child sighed, shaking his head, "Maybe…but A saw no other way out, he was under too much pressure-"

"Which was L's fault," B spat vehemently, "That was Lawliet's fault, and there's no other way around that."

"Of course L is to blame for part of that; but A could have handled the situation a wee bit better, or maybe again, he could not have. Perhaps that was to be Alleck's fate. But yes, that was L's mistake; his **lone** mistake."

"No, the bastard made others, especially with me."

"Oh, you mean when he called you 'Backup'?"

"…Yeah…" B whispered softly, a shining look of hurt coming to light in his eyes.

"Mm…yes, that did hurt. And it hurt because you were in love with him at the time. It was like the one man, the one man you want more than anyone else in the world to love and cherish you, forgot your name. It hurt did it not? It hurt like Hell."

"…" The killer just gave a soft nod, his ruby gems glued to the floor.

"…But the guy does care about you. He's repeatedly tried to apologize, and-"

"AND I ACCPETED HIS APOLOGY…!" Beyond gasped, and covered his mouth with his hands, his eyes wide as the full moon, shocked at what he had just subconsciously blurted out.

"…Of course you do. Or did…or both. You did a long time ago; you've been just too damn stubborn, and too consumed by hatred and revenge to see it."

"….I…I accepted his apology…I did, didn't I…?" B felt his eyes becoming wet with the sad revelation. "A-After…after that first night…"

_"S-Stop this…Beyond…we can…w-work-"_

_"If you are about to say we can work this out, you are wrong, Lawli."_

_"B-Beyond! Stop! Get out!"_

_"Is Lawli…not enjoying this? He…isn't turned on either…how sad…"_

_"Y-You're raping m-me…and you…expect me…to be turned…on?!"_

_"I hate you now…"_

"T-That…that first night…he wanted to talk it out…" Beyond's body began to tremble, a single tear starting the storm of many that were to come; for he was finally seeing in his mind the whole, terrible emphasis of what he had done to L….

He had literally destroyed L Lawliet…

_"Beyond……s-stop…" _

L had begged him to stop….to just stop and think…

_"So pretty……let's get rid of some of its purity, Lawli……"_

And the killer had not listened…

_"…I can see it in your eyes, B…you blame me…and…You…think…I never…cared about you…You may be Beyond, and I still may be a cold person, but I can read you, Beyond…"_

_"Y…You do, though. I can see the sadness in your eyes Beyond…"_

And L had seen it…he had finally seen how he had hurt Beyond…

After all this time…

But…

_"Shut up, L! I…I don't know what you're talking about!"_

_"You didn't even shed any tears at his funeral! But here you are, shedding tears for your pathetic self! That's all you care about, yourself!"_

Beyond ignored all…

The man blinded himself to L's apology, be it somewhat subtle, but it was still noticeable by all that had SOME common sense…

…So did that make B an idiot? Because…he…could not see it?

_"NEVER question me, you lying piece of slime!"_

_"Pfft…you're supposed to open it, L. How dumb __**are**__ you?"_

_"SAY it L! Let me here you say it! Say I OWN YOU!"_

_"Fine, you choose to not obey, I'll MAKE you obey."_

...Maybe he was…

When B pondered all that had happened…

_"My, you __**are**__ broken, aren't you? How sweet. I never knew how easily it would actually __**be.**_

_"You…are worth nothing to everyone…do you get that…?"_

…

Yes…Beyond…

He realized that he had been such a fool…

…

_This…wasn't what I wanted…not in the very beginning, it wasn't…_

The tears started falling faster…

_I-I wanted your love…I really did…Was I really that blind this whole time…?_

_I wanted affection…I figured you could give it to me…_

_And when you turned out to be cold…heartless, oh, but I know you are not really heartless L…I know that…but…when I believed that early on…_

_Instead of trying to get you to open up…I turned my back on you…_

A soft wail, barely above the softest decibel level, echoed from Beyond…

_I blamed you for A's death…I thought you hated me…despised me…that you only though I was just "Backup"…_

_But you didn't do any of that…_

_Okay…maybe A's death was partially your fault…but…not greatly! N-No one was to blame for that…it was fate…the numbers said so…_

…_But…everything else…_

_You did not hate me…you were just cold…like ice…You didn't know how to show any emotion…and I guess that is all you knew what to do…_

…_Oh God…_

…_Maybe you made mistakes…but so did I…_

_But I made bigger ones…_

BB's lithe frame continued to shake gently, the young man biting his lip to stop another whine from flowing from his thin lips.

…_Ones that are not easily forgiven…_

_You…you can apologize for yours…_

_But how can __**I**__…?!_

_What I did to you…You'll never forgive me, Lawli…! How can you?! __**WHY**__ would you…!?_

_God…_

_What have I done…?_

_What __**HAVE **__I __**DONE**__…?!_

_I'm in love with a man whom cannot love me back because of what I did! Is this some punishment…?! Is this because of my previous deeds, my terrible sins in the past?! WHY?!_

…

The killer could not hold it in anymore, and completely laid his head back against the metal wall, letting the tears come out completely free, allowing the soft sobs and wails to be released without restraint.

The man could not hold back anymore…

Was this a sign that he was becoming more human? Was it?

"…" Beyond hiccupped another cry, "Lawli…I'm sorry…But…that doesn't matter, now does it…?"

"…You're just gonna give up? Just like that?" The miniature Beyond apparition was still there, staring sternly at his real, older counterpart. "You are just going to throw in the towel?"

"T-Then tell…tell me what I can do! I'm lost, scared and…and I don't know what to do. I do not think I can fix this…"

"You do not** think** you can fix this…you do not know for sure, though. And…sorry, I can't tell you anything."

The ghost of Beyond's childhood stood up, and started strolling towards a door at the end of the corridor, whistling a small tune as his bare feet began to make him take his leave, the jam jar he had somehow obtained still in his hands.

"W-What?! P-Please…you have to tell me something!" Beyond begged the hallucination; he knew it was not real, but what else could he do? The man felt desperate, and he needed some, any help!

"…Nope. Sorry. You have to figure this one out on your own. And really, since I'm all in your head, in essence **you**…I really do not have any idea where you can go from here, since you don't."

"…So…it **is **hopeless." B whispered, sighing despondently, shaking his head mournfully.

"Nah…I don't think it is." The child turned back towards B, a small smile upon his jam-stained lips. "Just think a little…have a little faith…and this might turn out all right. But I'll say this: Don't' be afraid to make mistakes…and don't pressure him to love you. Then you **will** lose him forever."

"…I feel like I have already lost him though. I cannot even get him to look at me without any hatred in his eyes."

"Yeah, you are going to feel like that…but…you can't lose hope. I know you…we…we're not a hopeful person, are we? We're not. But…for once in your life Beyond…just have a little. You might get something out of this other than L's hatred. You might get his love."

"…" The older man stared silently at the ground; contemplating, and whispered "Can't you even grasp what I DID to him?"

"Uh, yeah, I can…but you are human, you know." The child let out a small giggle, a cute laugh that was quite charming, "You can make mistakes…and least you regret yours, lots of people don't. And it ends up killing them in the end."

"…" BB nodded, and he looked up just to see the "other B" vanish as it went through the door, jam jar and all, the hallucination gone; for now at least.

…Perhaps Beyond was crazy; not just for having talking, intelligent hallucinations…

But also because he wanted to see this through the end…

He did not plan to let L go just yet, in all senses of the word.

Maybe it was stupid, maybe it was very foolish, and maybe it would end up with his heart being broken…

But right now…All of that did not matter to the wielder of the Eyes.

Beyond Birthday wanted to give this one last chance, give himself one last chance…

It would not matter later on if he felt stupid for trying this now, if he felt foolish as well…

Not if L Lawliet would forgive him…

Not if L Lawliet could give Beyond the chance of a lifetime and more…

_L…_

_I…I am not ending this whole situation like this…_

_I need…faith…_

_Heh…Faith._

_Something I was never taught to have…_

_But I guess I have to have it now…_

_Love…and Faith…_

_I was never taught to have both…never believed in having both…_

_But now I do…and I must have both…_

_If I ever want to find happiness again…_

OoOOOooOooOoOOOOOOooOOooOOOooOOoO

To say that L Lawliet was shocked when into his vision came the sobbing Beyond Birthday, astride him shouting that L would "see", would be a gigantic understatement.

Now, if one was to say L Lawliet was shocked, stunned, speechless, disbelieving, in a stupor, and downright confused…well, that would be closer to the ball park.

For an uncertain amount of time, the detective just sat there, staring at the door from which B had left in a hurry, nearly breaking down into sorrowful tears.

All the while, the raven just sat into his traditional crouch, contemplating this now-pressing situation….

Was this…real?

That was the main question in L's mind; he had doubts before, and would not be hesitant to say that he had truly believed that.

For if many others had been in Lawliet's position, they most likely would have stated the same, yes? It would be all too common to do so, correct?

Beyond had shouted out words all too…well…important in L's opinion.

That was not saying that L thought love was important, though; he had really never believed it to be so, but perhaps, the man would sometimes say to himself, if he ever did find love, perhaps it could and would be important to him. But it was all a matter of L's situation, time, and the other person, of course.

No, that statement was saying that B's statement had been important not because he had proclaimed to L that he loved him, but moreover that he had proclaimed that at all.

In other words, what was B getting out of saying that? Was it just a game to him? A playful encounter? Was he just doing this to get L infatuated, and then Beyond would truly strike the final and faithful blow?

…

Or was Lawliet completely off, and Beyond was actually truly in love with him…?

"…" The detective let out a languid sigh, shaking his head; not a moment later did he begin to hear heart-wrenching sobs from outside the gigantic room; it could be no one else but BB.

"…What are you thinking, Beyond…?" L whispered softly, biting his lip as B let out another tearful cry. "I bet you did not plan for this…and now you're scared…

The man was crying…

He was damn well CRYING…Beyond, someone who looked like he could never cry was doing just that.

…

If this was not real…then L…L did not know what was.

Though, he was still hesitant to believe that…

The thought of Beyond being in love with him scared him…

L was not one for love, that's not what L stood for.

And…who knows what it could mean for Lawliet…and…

Right now…

L knew he was NOT in love with Beyond…

It was just impossible, right…? He should not even like Beyond at this moment…

…But he did…

…_I do like him._

_I shall not deny that…_

_Deep down, he really is a good person…_

_He's just…a little lost…a little scared…_

_A little in love…?_

…

_What shall happen now…?_

_I…I do not want to say that I do not love him, and that that will not change...but I do not know why. Should I not just push him away now…? _

…._And why am I even debating this…? Isn't this supposed to be preposterous…?_

…_I…am so confused…_

There was no other way to word it; Lawliet was confused, and unsure of where to go from here. Where could one go from here?

L had a somewhat small plethora of options: One, stay here, don't fight Beyond's advances (that is, if he continued to make them) and result in either his doom…or him falling for Beyond. Or not; he might still be kept alive even if he did reject BB…but that **did** seem very unlikely to him. Or two, Lawliet could just try to flee, thereby enraging Beyond (and possibly breaking the killer's heart?) and most likely putting his life on the line once again. One could only wonder what BB would actually do to him, especially if….the man was truly falling for L.

"…" L sighed again, which the raven found to be becoming quite a common hobby for him, and lied back down upon the filthy mattress, staring at the ceiling once more, and the hanging and nailed Wara Ningyo. Lawliet never knew why B liked those straw dolls so much, as well as why the copy was so attracted to jam; perhaps both were just quirks of Beyond Birthday?

_Quirks…Odd quirks for a grown man…_

When the raven found himself smiling at the thought, more confusion began to blossom. Why should he even smile while thinking of the one whom broke him? Who tortured him maliciously? Who tore him down to great depths? Who…took his "purity"…his…virginity…? There…it just made no sense!

…_Perhaps it is not supposed to make sense…_

_IT…usually does not make sense…but…this CAN'T be IT…_

_It just…cannot be-_

The older one did not have time to complete the thought, for at that moment, the door that B had stormed out of creaked openly cautiously, the younger one of the duo occupying the warehouse standing there, his head down, midnight bangs hiding his ruby gems of eyes.

"…I want to take a walk…." The killer mumbled, stepping closer to L, still keeping his head down; the man's voice was barely a whisper, and it sounded strained and worn.

"With myself?"

"…Yeah, Lawli…" Beyond reached L's side, and dug into the pocket of his jeans; instantly he pulled out a pair of handcuffs, with a chain stretching a good amount of feet, L mentally guessed perhaps two or three. "Sorry, L…but…I…well, you know."

"…Yes, I understand. You don't want me to leave yet." Lawliet slowly slid off the side of the bed, making sure not to disturb any of his still-hurting-and-recovering wounds, coming to stand mutely next to Beyond.

"Yeah…"

_I don't want to let you go yet…_

_I'm afraid to…_

_I'm afraid I'll never see you again…That…you'll…_

"Beyond?" The detective was outstretching his wrist, had been for a few seconds, and the copy was not responding; B was just staring at the floor, his eyes fixed on nothing in particular.

"Oh…thanks, L." The killer's hand came to grip L's own and the older one's wrist, slowly sliding the handcuff onto the lithe body part, clicking it into place.

…But Beyond did not let go right away, he continued to hold Lawliet's hand in his own, just staring at the appendage, noticing how it had many scaring cuts on it, dirt on the palm and under the fingernails, and, taking a subtle sniff, he noticed the musky smell yet again, accompanied with the faint aroma of strawberries…sweet, fresh strawberries.

"…" The younger one remained silent, but his pale, bony fingers began to caress L's palm, the cuts, the dried blood, the dirt, all of it…besides all of that, the hand still felt…extremely smooth. It seemed quite odd that it did, but it truly did. Smooth like Arabian silk…soft like Egyptian cotton. And Beyond could not help but gently squeeze it, and he felt L stiffen somewhat under his grip.

"…" B lifted L's hand to his light tinted red lips (he had taken a jar of jam and consumed it after the conversation with his "child self") and softly placed a butterfly kiss on the hand on its surface, smiling around the kiss, all the while, both men remained silent, "…Let's go."

The other handcuff was latched by Beyond onto himself, and the man strolled towards the door, not commanding the other to follow; he knew L would, and not just because of the handcuffs.

…

The silence that existed as they traveled down another rusty corridor, with some blood and jam splatters set upon the walls, with shattered glass pieces upon some patches of flooring, and even a few strewn jam jars and Wara Ningyo in various spots and corners and doorways, was eerie and very uncomfortable, neither man spoke, and it was mainly for both of them knew not what to say to the other.

And would not the best option then would be to be silent? Is that not the best?

…Perhaps not in this case…for it just made it worse, in both of their opinions.

Finally, after some time, the killer reached a door, stopping to wait for L to catch up and stand completely next to him; his current position was about a foot away due to the chain's length, which the detective was taking advantage of quite well.

"…You can come stand next to me, you know…I am not going to bash your head into the door, Lawli."

"…" L, who had not moved the distance at all from before B had spoken, (again, quite softly), he finally moved, coming to stand next to his captor. "…I apologize. I am-"

"You're apprehensive. But…I can understand. I…Heh…I probably would be too…"

"…So…what is behind this door..?" The raven questioned hesitantly, fearing that the placed beyond the metal blockade would be just like the bondage room he had taken up temporary residence in before.

"…" B actually gave a small, shy smile, his ruby orbs locked onto the copper doorknob, "…I'm sure you'll like it, Lawli. Don't…don't worry. It's…not like how it was before, I promise."

…

L did like it; the moment Beyond opened the door, he concluded that he did like it, for many reasons, the main one being that it held no way of L getting injured further.

…It was a garden.

But not just a small garden with many weeds, nor a patch of dirt with a few splinter-populous benches. It was a full blooming garden, colorful, bright, exquisite.

The detective found his dropping at the sight of the rainbow of flowers and herbs, many of them from the Western World, including the Americas. He could list off many of the types in his head: Roses, Asters, Lilies, Chrysanthemums, Dahlias, Irises, Carnations, Orchids, Tulips, Lisianthuses, Snapdragons, and dozens more; all in various colors, many bright, and others dark. Tens of herbs were scattered around, and ivy was growing on all four walls that faced the garden. L hypothesized that the garden had been built in the center of the warehouse, in a square partition, and that guess was even more strengthened when he could locate all four doors on the four walls. In the complete middle of the garden was a cobble-stoned square, with two wooden benches nestled on the surfaced, surrounded by all of the greenery. The sitting places had beautiful, intricate designs carved into them, making them look even more like works of art.

"...H-How…?"

"I don't know how it got here," Beyond snorted, "I certainly didn't grow it. I just found it here when I got this place. Someone had to have planted them; the majority of these don't grow in Japan. How they can even grow here is amazing. But, no one had been here to take care of them…I'm guessing someone just planted them all, and left probably not too long ago, explaining why they're still living. All they would need would be sun and water, right?"

"…Most likely…" BB started heading towards one of the benches, Lawliet following, "Are you interested in botany, Beyond?"

The killer shrugged his bony shoulders again, reaching his destination, quietly, "I don't know. I just know what I was taught."

"…I see."

Both men sat themselves upon the wooden surface, getting into identical crouches, both sets of hands coming to rest upon both sets of jeans; the killer's head turned towards the left, L's to the right.

For once in his life, Lawliet was happy to see the sun, feel its warmth settle upon his pallid, bruised skin. He had begun to fear that he would never see the outside world again, never smell the air, or even see other objects other than those same rusted walls of the warehouse. But being out here…his fears began to dissipate somewhat; perhaps Beyond would…be more lenient with him now.

"…Is…" L was being the first to take the plunge with speaking, "Is…there any specific reason as why you brought me out here...?"

"…No reason specifically." B mumbled softly, his eyes still trained on the floor, "Just…to talk, I guess…maybe…I don't know."

"We really have not been talking, B-"

"What are we doing now?" The killer could not help the smirk that appeared, and he even let out a somewhat mocking chuckle.

"Well…yes, we're speaking now……but I meant-"

"I **know** what you meant, Lawli…I know you're not stupid."

…

They were both silent again for some time, B's gaze locked onto the ground, while Lawliet's gaze traveling over all of the surrounding greenery, smiling internally at its beauty. L may not have looked like it, but he was one to enjoy plants and flowers. He especially found it worth while to read about a flower's history, coloring, origin, and even its Latin name. The raven was not really sure as to why he enjoyed it all, just that he did.

"…For one who said we aren't talking much, you're sure not that eager to speak, Lawli." Beyond spoke gently, chuckling again at the end of that statement, "But…I guess I would not blame you?"

"…No. And I do not blame you for not speaking either. Considering much, I-"

"Why are you doing the Kira case?" BB blurted it out surprisingly, his head shooting up to face L's like a high-speed rocket, his blood-red eyes shining curiously, his voice too holding a similar tone.

"Oh…well…It interests me. And…Kira is a criminal, Beyond. A mass murderer…he should be brought to justice. Why…do you ask?"

"Because you're putting your life on the line, don't you know that? I…well…I'm…" Concern was alight in B's eyes, which greatly surprised L, and when the copy had trailed off, biting his lip in fear of not knowing what to speak next, the detective continued.

"Of course I do. It is a dangerous job…but I enjoy what I do. And someone must do it."

"But…why do you have to do it, L? Can't…someone else do it? Why you?"

"Because, Beyond…if I do not do it, who will? Not many people would have the nerve, gall, whatever you want to call it, and the intelligence to take on high-profile, and powerful criminals."

"Yeah…but…"

The copy's eyes turned towards L once again, and in his ruby vision there floated L's lifespan.

_November 5th…2004…_

_That's just under six months away…_

_Oh, Lawli…_

"Beyond? What is it?" The older one could see the concerned stare on the other's face, Beyond's eyes locked onto a certain point above L's head, and it made him wonder what was wrong with the younger male.

"…Nothing. Just know that I am not letting you go right now."

"…That does not surprise me, in all actuality. Is it because…you love me?"

"…" A faint angel's kiss of a blush came to rest upon the copy's face, and after a few moments of awkward silence, B spoke, "…Yeah…and….someone has to protect you. You're…going to get yourself killed if you aren't careful, L." Beyond reprimanded firmly.

"Why are you so concerned…?"

"I told you, I love you, you damn idiot….you're not going to believe that are you? And more of it is….this Kira…he's not a normal killer, Lawli."

_Because…he can kill them…_

_Before their lifespan runs out…I can't do that._

It was true, Beyond had been studying Kira's moves. Before all of this had happened, B had been watching many of the criminals on the news and behind bars, they were some sort of odd "inspiration" to him, and moreover they kept him entertained; hearing all about them did not bore him at all.

Doing this though, Beyond had come to learn of all of their life-spans; many were to die in prison, he guessed, but it would not be for years at least.

But Kira…the killer of the criminals…was picking them off. Almost…

Magically…

Instantly, their life-spans would tinker down to zero, like a tiny clock zooming down towards the final moment. Oh, Beyond saw that happen when HE was to kill, BUT when HE always did it, it was always the victim's "time to go".

One minute……He attacked…

Forty seconds…The knife plunged…

Twenty seconds…They screamed in agony…

Zero seconds, zero minutes…They were deceased…

But with Kira, Beyond could see it: A criminal, such as a man that committed rape, for instance, was to still be alive for approximately two more years in jail, would drop like a stone all before he was supposed to.

It only made sense to say Kira was a "supernatural killer".

And…that mention of the eyes on that videotape…

For some reason, which unfathomed B, L had released that one to the public; he guessed it was maybe to lure Kira out or tease this "second" one, for BB hypothesized it was a second one. But on that tape…

The Eyes…

Beyond knew of no specific name for his eyes…he believed they were to be called "Shinigami Eyes", yet he knew not how he came upon that knowledge, thinking perhaps it was wisdom implanted into him at birth, most likely.

….But…"The Eyes"…

Were they like his…?

Was that the connection…?

What? What was the connection?

"I know Kira is not a normal killer, Beyond, but I am willing to take that risk." L affirmed after a moment of pondering an answer.

"But WHY? Why do you need to? D-Don't….don't you have other things to live for other than…Justice?"

"…Not really. I…I do not believe so, Beyond."

"?!" BB blinked, somewhat surprised at the response he got, "Why…why would you say that?"

"You told me yourself. I am a cold, selfish bastard…and I know I am."

"L, you're not-"

"Shush. I am…that was correct, and you know it." The raven blinked somberly, slightly shaking his head, "I…I don't deserve anything…I'm worthless, aren't I?"

"Bull, L! That's not true! You-"

"**You** are the one who told me all that, and you know you're right."

"But I didn't mean it, Lawli!" Beyond was nearly pleading with the other to see the truth…to see that B was wrong.

_Please…Lawli, just see it…!_

_Just like how I saw you were sorry…_

…

…_But I saw too late…didn't I…?_

_Now I'm stuck…_

_Stuck knowing not where to go…_

"…But you meant it at the time, Beyond. You may not completely mean it now, but you did mean it at the time; a part of you meant it at that time, so it was correct." The captive's voice sounded cold and…even a little hurt.

"…Lawli…I…"

"…I am sorry. I was just stating how I feel."

"So…you don't feel anything else other than…worthlessness?" BB mumbled, feeling even more depressed at L's talk of him being worth nothing, nothing but scum and dirt.

"…I feel confused. I…I don't know where to go from here."

"Because I said I love you…?"

"…Yes…." The response was hesitant, as if Lawliet was afraid to put the truth out there for the other.

"…I love you." B whispered softly, staring into the raven's obsidian orbs remorsefully, feeling his face heat up again, he imagined it was a bright red by this time, "I…I don't know what else I can say. But…I've found that I have come to be in love with you Lawli…"

"Yes, you have repeatedly told me that."

"…And…that's it, isn't it? There's…nothing else, is there?" Beyond's voice actually went a decibel higher at the last few words, making the question come out as a twisted whine.

"…Perhaps not. I did not say that I did not love you. I just said that I was confused."

"…Heh…I guess it's better than a just plain 'no', right?" A wry smile planted itself upon the killer's face, and he shook his head, "That gives me a little…"

…_Hope…?_

"A…little what?"

"…Uh…" Beyond wasn't one to speak of hope and faith, he felt nearly embarrassed at thinking about it; the man had a tough exterior, a rough, jagged exterior. For him to be spouting words like faith, hope, love…well, it was pushing it for him. Even just saying "I love you" to L was stretching the boundaries.

So, looking quite foolish, he plunged a hand into the nearby blossoming plants, and yanked out the first flower he could grab…

A purple Iris…

"…For you?" An uncomfortable, embarrassed smile came to life on Beyond's face, and he felt even more humiliated. NOW he looked quite schoolgirl-esque, flustered, flushed, and facing more embarrassment. Oh, why didn't he just say the word **HOPE**! Instead, he gives the man a flower…

_Oh, you're smooth…a real Casanova, Beyond…nice…_

"…"

L was silent; for a few minutes, he just stared at the flower, a mildly surprised expression upon his bony cheeks.

Then…

The detective reached out, and gently took the flower into his lithe palms, gently holding it, like it was a precious gem from the Queen herself.

"Thank you Beyond…" A small chuckle came from L, and at first, the copy thought he was being mocked, and a pout appeared.

But when a compassionate smile came to life on L Lawliet's face as he stared at the flower in his hands, B blinked, the pout vanishing, and an awkward grin settled itself on his own lips.

"…Do you know what the Iris stands for Beyond…?"

"….No……It…stands for something?"

_SHIT…_

_What if I gave him a flower that means "I want to screw you"?!_

"Yes…" L turned more towards his captor, then stoodup from the bench, the smile, be it small, but that was unimportant, still plastered upon his face, "It means…faith and hope, B."

"…" Beyond felt himself turn even more red, realizing that he had subconsciously conveyed his message to L anyway…

Yet he still had made a quite large of a fool of himself…Oh WONDERFUL.

"…So…you are not letting me go?"

"Nope. You're not leaving until…we both aren't confused. And when I feel you aren't in anymore danger, Lawli-chan."

"…'chan'? If…you must call me something of the feminine side of life, just make it Lawli, alright?"

"Aw…is Lawli-pop okay?" Beyond laughed cheerfully, shocking him internally that he laughed like how he used to.

"…I won't have a choice, will I…?" The older one sighed, "…If…it is not too much trouble…can…I get a shower?"

"…Shower?"

"…Beyond, I have not bathed in days, and I have had to…urinate…not in a bathroom for the past few days…not to mention I am filthy, bruised and…well, you know."

"Oh…Yeah…Um…I am sorry."

_Dammit…you really didn't take good care of him…_

_He hasn't eaten or drank much either…and used the bathroom…? Did he go on the floor…? Did…Did he even **go**…? He…hasn't drunk much either…_

_Damn, Beyond…you're such a bastard…_

"…Yes, I know, but do you have a shower here?

"…Yeah, I do…Uh…follow me…?" Beyond kept his awkward grin, and stood up as well, and began to lead the other man out of the garden.

...

This…this was good.

Everything was off to a good start for Beyond…

Maybe…there was just a little chance…even if it was small, tiny, miniscule…it was STILL a chance.

Perhaps L would open up to him more…tell him more…

They had talked here, it was a start…

And L…Lawli…

As they headed towards the bathroom…

He was still holding that bright purple Iris…

OoOOooOOOOoOoOoOOooOoOOoOoooooOO

A/N: Aww….I like how this one ended. Sorta sweet.

Now, if you think I'm gonna go all Lovey-dovey sweetie on ya, you're wrong. This odd duo WILL fight, there WILL be more tears (especially with tearful revelations and confessions), and SOMEONE. WILL. DIE. A. BLOODY. DEATH. By the end of the story, I mean, and that's not for awhile. ; D

Yes, there WILL be a character death, but I shall not say whom. It is a secret between myself and my DN plushies and Nendoroids, whom know all my secrets. xD So don't press me to know!

Anyway, next chapter will have Mello, Matt, Near, and Raito to start it off, since they didn't appear here; I wanted B and L to have some time here ; D. AND yes, we will pick up with B and L with the shower scene…and YOU can picture how it will go yourself, and you'll find out soon if you were correct or not on your "ideas of the scene" XD

So, until then my lovelies, I shall speak to you soon!! : D Leave a review if you want, and thanks for reading so far!!


	9. Droplets

A/n: Welcome back to madness, ladies and gentlemen, my lovely readers! : D More angst and drama, and some lovely romance brewed in. I'm so happy you all enjoy this, and I'm thankful for all the nice reviews and critique that I have received on this too! Now, please enjoy, and let me know what you think! ^^

_OoOoOooOOooOooOOoooOooOOoOOoOOo_

_"We have heard the chimes at midnight." _

_- King Henry IV, Part II__, (Act III, Scene II)_

_OoOOoOOoOOooOOoooOooOOoOOOoooOooOOOooOOoOOo_

_**Winchester, England, Wammy's House….Nearing 11: 45 P.M**_

"…Are you done Mihael?"

"Give me a second, NEAR." Mello was typing furiously at the computer; once again, he and Nate had snuck into the library's computer lab area, all the rest of the children resting, all snuggled up in their soft beds.

"Well, please make it completed before I fall asleep here on the floor, resulting in you having to carry me back, Mello."

"WHAT in God's name would make you think that I'D carry YOU back?!"

"…" The albino boy was silent, just giving the blonde chocolate-addict a blank stare.

"WELL?!" The older one whispered very angrily, wanting the other to respond.

"…Just send Watari the damn e-mail." Nate turned away from his companion, a harsh stare beaming right into the floorboards.

"Hmph…fine… whatever. And I'm supposed to just send the e-mail with Roger's signature?"

"Of course. Did you really think that Mr. Wammy would read an e-mail about this situation that was sent from us? He would think we were being childish, and possible punishment could arise."

"I didn't need a big definition, you little snowman-look-alike-slash-Poindexter."

"…My, that was quite a long insult. Can't you do better than-"

"SHUT. UP!" Mihael whispered roughly again, rolling his ice blue eyes in response, "Just come and proofread this for me; check and see if it tells all of what we've found out."

Near got up from the ground with a sigh, and peered over Mello's shoulder.

"…It seems fine. But perhaps you could find a synonym for the word 'got'…or the word 'looked'…Oh, and you should not have a period there, and-"

"I asked you to look at the information, NOT the grammar, you English-whore!"

"…Whore?"

"Yeah, like GRAMMAR whore, but you're an ENGLISH whore! Or maybe you're BOTH!!"

"…Well, at least I am not a regular whore?"

"…" Mello slapped his forehead with a sigh, "…Whatever. Alright, I told him about the info we found on 'Bantini Bemouir', 'Benedict Betouix', 'Bernard Buchwald', and 'Biyokoi Buichi.'; how that probably two of the men are real, and that one isn't, but we're not sure. Do you think Watari will find this useful, Near?"

"…I suspect that he will. L is a dear person to him; any information would be useful, yes?"

"…Alright. I…I hope so."

"…You really are worried, Mello."

"Of COURSE I am, Nancy Near! It's L! He's my…he's my hero! I'd do anything to help him!"

"...You really care about him." Nate stated softly, playing with his blue and red model plane while doing so.

"Uh, yeah. Don't you?"

"Of course. L is very important to me…I am just surprised you say that you would "Do anything" for him so lightly."

"I'm not saying that lightly; I know it's a serious thing to say, and I really mean it."

"…There are not many people in this world that you would do that for, is there Mihael?"

"Uh…" Mello turned his eyes to the window, staring at the shining moon outside; the crescent shape's yellow glow was somewhat comforting in this time of dire peril and uncomfortable atmosphere, "…There's a few, Near. Matt, Watari, L…you."

"…Me?"

"Yeah, you're…my…"

"…Your…?"

"AGH! Are you GONNA make me say it?!"

"…Yes." Near stated, a blank stare upon his face.

"…FRIEND. You're a…friend."

"There, now was that so hard?" A fleeting smile came to grace the albino child's face, but disappeared a second later. "Now, send the e-mail."

"Bossy bastard…"

CLICK.

SEND.

…RAWRRRRR?

"…Why do you make Matt use animal noises as the sign that someone is coming?"

"Because then I can say that I make him moo, caw, roar, you know…It's kinda funny."

"Agreed…"

Both boys ducked under the computer desk just as Roger came around the corner.

"…Trying out for Animal House again, Mail?"

"Oh, no, Roger…"

"…Then why the roar, dear boy?" The old man questioned testily.

"Uh…one of these days, I'm gonna make hot animal sounds for a passionate lover, and I'm practicing?"

"…" The sweat-drop coming from Roger was of epic proportions.

"…I'm serious, Roger." Matt smiled a billion-watt smile.

"…Yes…I'm sure you are. Have you been playing too much of The Sims 2, Matt? Perhaps that is giving you odd ideas…"

"…Maybe…"

"Get to bed, Mail Jeevas. Your 'lover', whoever he or she is, shall wait for you and your AMAZING animal calls, and would probably prefer you head to bed now."

"Yeah, yeah…I'm moving Sir…"

Footsteps retreated, and Mello came out of his silent reverie to find his companion upon his lap.

"Agh!?" The blonde pushed the white haired boy off of him, who landed with a soft thump.

"Was that necessary, Mello?"

"Yes. You were in my personal space."

"…But you and Matt are always close."

"Yeah, but Matt doesn't creep me out, Near. Unlike YOU. And he's also my best friend."

"…Alright, let's go…" Near was quick to end the conversation, and led his companion towards the door.

They had done all they could…now…

It was up to the angels on the other side of the world to save L…

OOoOoOOoOOOOOoooooooooOOooooooooooooooOOo

**Kanto Region, Japan, 3:45 PM the same day, Kira Case Headquarters/Hotel**

OoOOoooooooooooooooooooOooOOooOoooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Looking at other people's email was wrong; plain and simple, but oh so true fact.

Yet, Raito Yagami had the stirring urge to just click that tiny button, and open up Watari's electronic messages.

Perhaps it was because the older gentleman, still in a twitter and a nervous wreck about the kidnapping of his precious L, had left the laptop wide open and in Raito's plain view on the kitchen table. Or maybe it was the brunette's conscience kicking itself into high gear once more, and that sight of that glowing laptop and the 'beep' of the message receiver system on the computer stirred something in him? Or perhaps it was a combination of both?

Whatever the case may be, Raito stealthily moved towards the empty kitchen chair, with only Ryuk for company; now was the time the killer was happy he suggested Watari get some fresh air, and bring them back more coffee of course (Matsuda was drifting off to sleep once more).

"Hehe…whatcha looking for Raito?" The lanky Death God wheezed out as he towered over his 'master'. "Somethin' to help your lover boy?"

"In all honesty, I'm not sure as to what I'm really looking for, Ryuk. I just thought looking at this might give me some information." The brunette was typing away at the keys in front of him, sepia eyes glued to the screen; Watari had many passwords and encodings upon his hard drive, many of them for his Internet pages, and even for starting up the computer once again, not that that surprised Raito of course, and thankfully, with his intelligence, and knowledge of coding, he was able to surpass most of them, including ones dealing with …

Until he got to the one he really wanted to see: The e-mail passwords and firewalls.

"Hehe…smart man, keeping that under lock and key…Hehehe…"

"…It's nothing I can't break through…" More typing of the keys…

"Oh, REALLY? So Mr. Genius can figure out anything?"

"Well, the other passwords were number coordinations, common ones, mistakes on Watari's part. I was able to really just take lucky and good guesses from knowing the knowledge of others, and from all the reading I have done. But for this, It most likely would be something more intricate and complicated…Hmm."

Raito looked around the table, glancing at various papers the old caretaker had spread upon the wooden surface, some words sticking out, and bolding in his mind, like a text in a novel.

L…

Detective…

Beyond…

Birthday…

…Wammy's?

"…" The brunette stared at the words, and taking a guess that 'Wammy's' might be the password, its length being appropriate, and it was discreet enough to be useful, he typed it in…

And it succeeded…

The e-mail inbox popped up, and Raito did not hide the triumphant smirk growing upon his handsome face.

"Perfect…just as planned….Now let's have a look, shall we?"

A great deal of the already opened e-mails were still in the inbox, and the Yagami glanced at the titles, deciding he would sneak a look at them later; what interested him the most was the newest electronic letter, that had yet to be opened, it reading:

**Watari: Important Information: Aliases**

"…That seems important, Raito…Hehe…"

"You think? Aliases, Ryuk. Those fake names might-"

"Yeah, yeah, might lead you to L. I may not be the smartest Shinigami, but I do know some things, Raito."

"…Of course, Ryuk." In all truth, Raito could care less of the Death God's babbles and thoughts at this moment; his intelligent brain was elsewhere at this time, and he clicked upon the e-mail. It opened, revealing:

_- Watari_

_I have done extensive research into the whereabouts of Beyond Birthday, and while looking at the aliases you have put on the Wammy's homepage, I have discovered that each of the "men" have had connections to the Japanese area; yet, this does not tell us if they are real men who have suffered some form of identity theft, or if they are truly made up aliases that Beyond Birthday is using at this point in time._

_  
The information includes the following:_

_'Bantini Bemouir': According to travel records, hopped onto a plane from the English coast a few months ago, took first class, expensive ticket. His location was unspecified during this time, but it was found out that a credit card under his name was used to purchase goods. I was able to…dare I say it, hack into different databases, but forgive me for this intrusion, Master Wammy. I know, we'll probably have another fight, but now that is not important. L is and we need to find him as fast as possibly. As I stated, I found out he purchased some items, many of them at higher shops in the Tokyo area. From there, another airplane ticket was purchased, and a flight to Italy was taken, but about three weeks later, another trip back to Japan was arranged, and Bantini Bemouir bought a small apartment in the Osaka area. It is unknown whether or not he is still living there, for he did take a plane back to England about four weeks after the purchase. The apartment is still in his name, and the address is: 28339 Grove Isle, which is a newer residential area not far from your current location. _

_'Benedict Betouix': This man had little information to give about him, or from what I could find. He was located in the Kanto area around the time of L's kidnapping, for he purchased, with again, a credit card, a large shop in that area, and from the gathering of a website page, it seems to be a flower shop, but this is still unconfirmed. There was no home address that I could find, which made me all the more suspicious, yet possibly, the man could be living with someone else who owns a home. I also was able to find that he was indeed from France, and that there is a home there, but its address could not be given to me, unfortunately. Though, I do have the address of the flower shop: 81312 Taniji Street, in the Tokyo area. _

_'Bernard Buchwald': This alias surprised me the most, to be perfectly frank. I found that there is no home here, in all of Japan, which is under that name. That name was not found to be anywhere in all of the country, but I was able to locate it in two areas: One, in the United States, in the city of New York, and Two, here in England. I found it quite odd, but then again this is Beyond Birthday, so nothing surprises me at this point. There are home addresses and phone numbers for both of these places:_

_1-234-642-2234 = France_

_1-313-137-1331 = New York_

_I did not bother to include the addresses, due to the fact I have a feeling that you shall not be traveling to these places in the near future, unless it is an emergency, correct? And if needed, you shall ask me._

_'Biyokoi Buichi': This alias, to you at this point, would probably seem the most likely to check out, but I would warn you now to not eliminate the others right from the start. Most likely, Beyond is using the others just as much, or is using a combination of all of them at one time; or perhaps it is just the opposite, and he is using only one at a time, or is no longer using the others. But I digress; This name was spotted in Japan, just a few miles from the Kanto area, as the name for a home, and also, a very large purchase was made under this name, as for what, that is uncertain. I do know that it was quite large, and expensive, and made with a credit card. Not much else was found out when looking up this name, but the address: 7813 Hikiari Plex Avenue._

_Watari, this was all I could find at this time, but I hope, pray, that this shall lead both of us closer to our L. And perhaps some good changes will come of this, my friend. L is a human, and I fear that…we could have prevented this if we had been more careful, and treated him more human. I am at fault here, and I know, that deep down, you feel that you are too. But we are not at fault for his kidnapping one-hundred percent, that was B's idea, truthfully, but you and I both know we are having many regrets as to our past treatment of L. Perhaps when this Hell is all over, we can change our ways for the better._

_I wish you all the best of luck in this search, this race against time…_

_-- Roger Ruvie_

"…" Raito re-read the e-mail again, and a smirk came upon his face; he had stumbled upon a goldmine of information.

"Hehehe…well, didn't you hit the jackpot, Raito…"

"I did, Ryuk…but Watari might find it suspicious that an e-mail was open when he had not checked it yet."

"He might get on to ya? Is that what you're saying?" The Death God asked as he spied a juicy red apple on the nearby kitchen counter, drool flowing from his spiky and scary mouth, and after a nod from "Kira", Ryuk grabbed the apple, devouring it in seconds, quite noisily.

"Yes, he might, so that is why I have a few things to do for preventing that. But first…"

Raito decided to print out the e-mail, after hooking up the laptop to the portable printer that the old caretaker of L had brought with him; the technology worked fast, and the electronic letter printed out quickly, all of the information now in the palm of Raito's hand.

_This is…too perfect…there must be some God on my side…some GODS are turning fate in my direction…_

"And now so that I don't get caught…" Then brunette returned back to the humming laptop, and clicked print once more, and then deleted the e-mail permanently.

"Watari is too out of it to remember what he read specifically, so when he sees this, he'll just assume that he himself read it and printed it out, not anyone else." Raito laid the e-mail down next to the laptop, "I just KNOW that is what is going to happen; or, if I get luckier, the e-mail will not even be looked at, giving me a head-start into finding L."

"And that's important why…?" The dark, lanky attached Shinigami asked the own of its Notebook.

"Well, it is simple, really. If I am able to rescues L, it'll make me look better in Watari's eyes. He'll start to suspect me less of being Kira, and when Ryuzaki comes to care about me, like I have him, Watari will think even more better of me, seeing that I have come to care about his "never treated like a human" L. And I'll continue on my way of being Kira; everything shall work out perfectly, Ryuk."

"Heh…I never knew human love consisted of so much manipulation."

"...What does THAT mean?!"

"Hehe…Raito, you don't see it? You're just manipulating this situation to fit your wants and needs. Yeah, sure, you may be 'in love' with this guy, but you're just manipulating the situation to make him fall in love with you once you rescue him, which might be harder to do than you expect, ya know. This…Beyond Birthday sounds extremely intelligent, and if he comes from the same place as L, then that should show you even more so that you need to be prepared. Don't think that this is going to go all easy for you, Kira because I have a feeling it isn't. Hehehe…and how do you know that L is just going to fall in love with you like-"

"SHUT UP! YOU don't know anything and…are you keeping something from me?"

"What gives you that idea, Raito?" Ryuk wheezed, a deathly smile on his face.

"…You just said…that you have a feeling it might not go easy for me….why do you say that?"

"Just because…Hehehe…"

"…" Raito dropped the conversation, turning back towards the laptop and shutting it off; besides, who cared what Ryuk thought? He wasn't in control of this situation, Raito Yagami, Kira, was!

_This is just too perfect…one of these aliases has to be this Beyond Birthday…I'll start looking up information tonight, and over the next few days…it'll be easy, I'll just ask Misa to do more killings, giving me more time to find L…And that in turn shall give me some form of alibi; if I am working on my computer at home, 'studying', while really looking for L, and my father comes in and see, I can state that I am, once again, studying like the good little student that I am, that I am supposed to be…_

_Oh, this is just wonderful…_

As Raito wandered back to the main investigation room, stuffing the papers of the e-mail into his pocket, he hid the smirk, changing it into a concerned expression…

But poor Raito did not realize…

That he was not in control of this situation…

But neither was L…nor Beyond Birthday…

Only fate was……

OoOOOoOoOooooooooooooooooooOoOOOOOOOOOOo

**Beyond's Warehouse….3:55 PM**

OoOOOoOOooOOOOOooOoOOoOoOoooooOoOOOOOOOOOoo

The corridor down to the bathroom was covered in tiny bits of glass, shining in various bright and dark colors, some of the pieces glued to the walls. All along those walls as well were splatters of jam, of reds, violets, and lighter peach colors. L noticed as Beyond walked ahead of him that there were also newspaper clippings thumb-tacked onto the rusty slides, and the detective noticed that they were mainly about him. "L Solves Triple Homicide in Bermuda", "L Finds Lost Money, Over Two Billion Dollars Recovered", "L Stops Terrorists in Italy", "L Takes on Kira Case"…And so on and on…there was also some pictures of the raven, and the man wondered how B had actually acquired them.

"You…followed me a lot, didn't you?"

B snorted, "Psh, of course I did…" The man turned back to his chained companion, smirking, "I'm "obsessed" with you, Lawli…why wouldn't I?"

"…Yes, I suppose, when you state it like that…" Lawliet blinked when he took into account the pictures of himself, a little surprised at their appearance in the hall, "Are those…pictures of me?"

"…" Beyond was silent, slowing down his walking pace, his face a little bent, mainly to hide the blush that had sneaked up on him, "…Yes.." He responded after some time.

"Oh…"

"I uh…was watching you for awhile….before I made my move….And…I saw a lot. Heh….the old wives' tale about you being obsessed with sweets is true, right?"

"Old…wives' tale? B, what **have** they told you about me?" The older one asked, with a dark chuckle emanating from his throat.

"…Lots, actually. Well, they were more rumors that I heard when I was a kid; like…how you sat, what you ate, how you spoke, even what you wore…and actually it was all true." The killer actually smiled a tiny grin at his companion, and continued, "…I never heard anything about what you actually looked like though; some of the kids said that you were a dark-haired guy, but then again I even heard jokes about how you had blue hair, green or white eyes, and looked like some demi-god.

"Heh…children will spin a web of their own tales, it is only natural. And…you are not disappointed with what you actually got with me?"

B stopped as they came to another rusty door, "Are you kidding? You're…you're….really great…" The man bent his head again, midnight bangs hiding his face, and the reddening skin, "Umm…Well, there's a shower in here."

The copy turned the doorknob as his chained captive came to stand next to him, the hinges creaking, for the door had not been used in a great amount of time. Inside, the bathroom was a pale green, not of vomit, but more of a very dark sea green color. Tiles, broken and whole, made of the floor, with white caulking in-between each little square. A white sink that was broken, it was missing a hot water knob, stood in the far left corner, a black toilet next to it that looked to be in working order mostly; save for the crack in the bowl part. On the right wall was a glass shower that shone a nice clean clear color, no rust or lime or anything. The walls and door of it were made of the type of glass that blurred the view of anyone who would look into the enclosed space. A shiny silver shower head sparkled from where L was standing, along with nice clean water knobs. A bright red rug, contrasting greatly with the entire décor of the room, stood in front of the shower; a copper towel rack hung to the right of the bathing space. There was also a tiny folding chair next to the shower, in the place of a stool.

"…You can go ahead and strip, Lawli." Beyond threw up his hands, portraying an innocent man, "And I swear, I won't look."

"…You're staying here."

"Yes…And I won't watch you shower like some pervert, I swear."

"…" L decided it was better than nothing, and after a small sigh, he nodded in agreement, and outstretched his cuffed wrist, "You shall have to remove this in order for me to…undress."

Beyond complied, removing the cuff from L's wrist, and turned his back on the detective just as the sounds of swishing, of clothing being removed, filled his ears.

It took all of the copy's strength to not turn around and ogle his captive eagerly; but he knew that would only make the situation much, much worse. To alleviate the struggle, Beyond did manage to sneak peaks at the older man, the man he not only lusted after, but felt deep love for…deep compassion.

…_Mrowrr…God…That…that body…_

_And he always thinks he's ugly…but I…completely think otherwise…he's got muscles in all the right places, and not too many…He's a little too skinny, in matters of health…but I like that about him…his chest…nice neck…lovely eyes……sweet, sexy hips……and those…_

_Those legs…Uhh…Stop it Beyond, if you keep thinking about those…l-legs…and where you want them…you'll have to get in the shower next, and lock L outside so he doesn't hear you…make noise…_

…_Oh, GOD…_B's eyes had traveled lower, _HOW did I not notice how…how HUNG he was…look at that thing…Uhhh…n-not that I wouldn't let him dominate me, I'm a top, always…b-but…wow, a piece of equipment…Heh…_

"Beyond?" L's voice rang out, snapping B away from his thoughts as he held out his wrist, the lanky body's back still turned towards B, "Are you going to cuff me again? For…you shall be waiting outside the stall right?"

"Uh…yeah…And there's shampoo and soap inside there…and the towels are right on the rack…" _Don't look at his ass, don't look at his ass, do NOT look at his GORGEOUS ass Beyond…!! _The wielder of the Eyes cautiously slipped the handcuff onto his companion as the older man made his way to the stall, opening the door just as the killer took a seat on the fold-out chair, trying to keep his eyes on the figure that was hidden behind that glass door.

The water started up immediately, and Lawliet let out a content sigh, the warm water, actually** warm** water, felt amazingly comforting on his beaten and bruised skin, and the raven sighed again; grabbing a sponge that was hanging on the shower cord, dampening it under the water droplets that flowed freely from the head, and after grabbing the soap bar and creating suds in the sponge, L wasted no time in cleaning himself, sighing once more as the calming friction relaxed him.

Meanwhile, Beyond was not as well off, for L's sighs of happiness, sent shivers of pleasure down his spine; did that man know how…arousing his voice could BE? Especially when he was relaxed?! And the man's body was in sight of B's ruby orbs, moving slowly back and forth underneath the hot water, blurred somewhat by the glass door and walls. The younger one felt his jeans growing a little tighter, and diverted his eyes to the floor, and even tried moving his lanky body somewhat, the chain between the duo that was partially hanging inside the shower jangling at the movement.

"Hm? Beyond? Are you alright?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, L…I am…Just take your time, okay?"

"….Of course. Thank you. For a captor-"

"Don't consider me your captor….Think of me as your protector, Lawli."

"…You cannot protect me from the world…fate…No matter how much one…loves…another, you cannot protect them from all, Beyond."

"…But what if…I want to..?"

"…One cannot always get what they want, B…"

"…"

The men were silent for some time, the running water the only sound that could be heard in the old bathroom. But, minds were in contrast, for each of them was buzzing with thoughts, ideas, and predictions of what was to come. If one could describe the atmosphere, tense would be the main focal point, and perhaps some added apprehension, nerves, worrying…and even lust could be detected in the air.

After some time, the water eventually shut off, Lawliet sighing once again in peace. The raven had washed his body from head to toe, caressing his skin with strawberry shampoo, a tiny grin on his face as a bony hand exited the door, fumbling for the towel rack.

"Oh! L, here…" Beyond jumped up rapidly, grabbing the beige towel hanging on the rack, and placing it in the palm of his companion's hand; the hand vanished a moment later, more rusting was to be heard, and a moment later, out stepped L; his chest still dripping wet, his hair flat from the water, but from the waist down, was covered in the towel his chained captor had handed him.

"…" This was the last straw for Beyond; as Lawliet went to the towel rack, grabbing the other large cloth to dry his hair, coming back to stand in front of the shower, bare feet padding on wet tile, the copy snuck up behind the raven.

"…Beyond, is there-!?"

L found himself instantly pushed up against the shower door, which he had closed all but a moment ago. B's eyes were aglow with a potpourri of emotions as he stared into the insomniac's own dark ones, they too glittering, awash with rays of feelings.

"…B-Beyond…What are you-Mmph!"

Lips sweetened by strawberries crashed on top of pallid ones, midnight orbs widening to an extreme length, never blinking, in contrast to the closed ruby orbs of the younger man. A bony, lightly-blood stained hand came up to gently grasp some of Lawliet's locks, tugging slightly, and the copy lent out a soft sweet mewl of bliss as the man pushed his body closer to L's, his covered chest meeting L's bare one, not caring about the water droplets soaking through his own dark shirt.

Both bodies were shaking, L's especially, greatly due to the fact that he was finding it hard to push Beyond Birthday away quite roughly, or in any form at all; even more so when B's tongue slithered past his lips, and began to wetly dance with his own.

Lawliet's body started to shake even more, for his mind was flashing back to times he did not want to remember. Granted, B was a good kisser…a very good kisser…but one, it did not excuse his past behavior, what he had actually done to the detective. Not only that…but that kiss was bringing back even more painful childhood memories.

The flashbacks stung behind L's eyes, burned his brain, hampered his soul, and even though the detective knew Beyond did not mean for that to occur here and now, his body and mentality was not trusting anything, anyone at this point…

But then how could he…? Was that not asking too much…?

"S-Stop…" The tiny whisper came from L, which grew louder a moment later, "S-STOP!"

The raven shoved his companion away with all the strength he could muster, and the jam lover kept his balance at the sudden action of his Lawliet. Ruby eyes shone with startled shock for some time, but regained focus as reality set in.

L, though, had not been so lucky as to keep his balance, for after he had shoved B off of him, his bare feet had lost their dexterous balance on the wet, slippery floor; thankfully, before the older man had completely fallen on his head, he had grabbed the edge of the shower door, and even though it swung open, Lawliet's head bumping into the glass surface, it stopped the man from having a very harsh fall into the shower, instead the man landed more softly on the wet shower floor, water droplets from the shower head still sprinkling down.

"…L-Lawliet…I…F-Forgive me…I…" The copy and his captive, though he would deny that term, were both panting harshly.

"…" The raven was still shaking uncontrollably, making Beyond feel even more guilty.

"I couldn't control myself! I…You…Your body…I…F-Forgive me, I just….I wanted…I couldn't control my urges, and…" B was having trouble even forming sentences, feeling extremely flustered, scared, and nervous.

_Dammit…I might have just ruined everything…_

…

_Strike that…I did ruin everything…_

The younger one's opinion changed the moment L had let out a soft whine, burying his face in his knees.

"...Lawli…I…I…W-What's wrong? Was it the kiss…I…I knew it was too soon and..." The wielder of the Eyes got on his knees, and crawled closely to his companion, worry etched into his features, "Tell me…Please?" He softly whispered, and bit his lip when he was close enough to see that the raven was actually crying softly.

"…" A soft hiccup came from L, and B felt as if his heart was breaking.

"Oh God…L-Lawli…I…I didn't want to cause more hurt…I just…"

"It wasn't just what you did…" The detective whispered, "…There's something else."

"…Tell me…L, tell me, I want to know."

"…" The lithe body of the bruised man continued to shake, midnight eyes wide, glued to the floor, large tear droplets falling to the ground, "…I-I can't…"

"…Yes you can…I'll understand…I will; I know you don't trust me now…but you just have to try…"

As L's body continued to shake silently, as he continued to cry sorrowful tears, Beyond moved even closer, and wrapped his arms around the pale man, holding him close, Lawliet stiffened, and bit his lip…

And let out a soft wail, more rain-like drops falling from his eyes…

"He TOUCHED me…" The soft cry came from the older man, causing B to blink.

"Touched you……Who L, who?"

"A m-man! Y-You wouldn't know him! T-The caretaker o-of me…w-when my parents died! H-He TOUCHED me! W-When I was a boy!"

"…L, do you mean-"

"WHAT do you want me to say Beyond?! That YES, he DID rape me multiple times, that YES, he DID chain me to a wall, and repeatedly tortured me! That he made me feel worthless, miniscule, that he SCARRED me for life!? There, I said it all!" The older one was in hysterics by now, tears still falling, now even faster.

"…No…" The killer whispered, staring wide eyed at the one man, one person he cared about in this world.

"No, NOT no…Yes…Yes, he did…"

"…N-No…T-To you? W-Who would hurt you? WHY would-"

"W-Why would someone hurt m-me….Is that what you were going to say? I don't know! Power, fame, glory, sick pleasure?! Why don't you ask YOURSELF that?!"

"…L-Lawli…"

"S-Stop it…H-He called me that sometimes! I don't want to hear it!!"

"…I'll make that nickname special. You won't mind being called that when I call you it…and where is this man, I-"

"K-Kill him? Don't b-bother, Kira got to him first…."

"Isn't that good?! He's dead now, and-"

"IT DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING!" The raven screamed in frenzy at the man next to him, feeling more broken and defeated than ever, "…It doesn't change what he did to me…don't you understand that…?"

"…"

_What…What have I done…?_

_I…I didn't know that THAT actually happened to him…that he got…I can't even say it…_

…_All I did before was open up the wounds which had taken twenty-some years to heal…_

_I was the second one to break him…the second one to destroy him…_

_I was someone whom he never thought would hurt him like that…I was someone he actually liked a tiny bit…before all this happened…_

…_I'm a monster…_

_I don't want to be one now…but I was one back then…_

No words could be said at a time like this; really, what could one say? What WAS there to say?

Actions were more appropriate in the killer's mind, so while his companion, the man he did indeed love, continued to let tears fall, more softly now, the man with the red eyes gently took the detective into his arms more, holding Lawliet close, the raven's head going onto his shoulder. One of B's hands came around and began to soothingly rub the detective's back, as the copy murmured soft words of comfort.

"Shh…Hey, L…It'll be okay…I'm not going to hurt you like that anymore….I'm not going to hurt you in general, I swear."

"…One cannot swear to something of that nature; it is only human…it is only natural… for one to hurt another…." The older man sniffed, now silent, but tears still fell of their own accord.

"But…why not? People make promises all the time…some manage to actually keep them, Lawli…" B whispered softly, the older man still in his arms.

"…I learned a long time ago that promises are broken, most of the time it is always….more like ninety-nine percent, actually."

"That…is a really high number…why so much?"

"Divorces, broken friendships…mistrust in others in general…feelings of worthlessness, self-doubt. All lead to broken promises. Hence, the high number, and hence, why I neither keep nor make them."

"…No one showed you otherwise." Beyond stated softly in L's ear.

"...I could say the same about you…sometimes…"

"…Yeah…But I've learned to have a little more faith in…the people I do care about, Lawliet…"

"….It is not that I don't care-"

"You** DO** care about me-?" B interrupted, a tinge of surprise in his voice, trying to hide the ear-to-ear smile that threatened to blossom on his face, but L continued,

"It is just that I…I am not ready yet…I am just not. One cannot expect me to be ready yet…I've been through Hell again, I need to….heal my wounds once more."

"…Will you ever trust me? Ever?" The killer whispered quietly.

"…I don't know."

"…Will you ever…l-love me?"

"…I don't know."

"W-Will you ever know Lawli?" It was to be B's final question at the time.

"…In time, I am sure I will."

"Okay…" The copy sighed, still hugging Lawliet close, "Just…relax okay. You'll be fine, I promise…You might not believe me, but I do mean it…I'm not going to hurt you like I did before. Granted….we still might hurt each other in some ways…I don't know, but it won't be like before, I…." He stopped, noticing the other was quite silent, "L?"

"…" The raven had actually drifted off into a slumber, a blank expression on his face, the detective's worn thumb resting on pallid lips.

"Heh…and here I thought you were an insomniac…"

Beyond wanted to move, he really did, but the man knew it would disturb his companion. So instead, he vied for staying put; and in all honesty, those droplets that were still falling from the shower's head did not bother him in the least.

OoOoOOoooooOoOoOooOOooOOOOooo

**Beyond's Warehouse, Midnight**

OoOOOOOOOOOOOOoOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooO

The duo had stayed in that bathroom for no more than an hour when L awoke with dry eyes and a somewhat somber expression. The copy had asked if he wanted to go lie down, the raven replying with a nod. So for the past many hours, they had just lain together on L's 'bed', not speaking a word aloud or to each other. Of course, the only thing on their minds had been each other, but this was not the time to voice that, now was it? They had only spoken when Beyond offered to get L some food, (a luscious piece of blueberry cheesecake, topped with said fruit and whipped cream), and a drink (piping hot green tea); also, when the man had needed to use the restroom, but other than that, silence had permeated the room.

But…to be truthful, the silence was not extremely uncomfortable. B had even seen Lawliet smile at one point during the duration of time, though he knew if he ever brought that to L's attention, the older man most likely would smack him. In a way though….the silence gave them time to think, mainly about each other; it gave them time to sort out opinions of the other man. Chiefly L, who was finding that being in the killer's arms was not as uncomfortable as it had started out to be.

Now though, it was midnight, and Beyond had awoken with a start. It was not the nightly chimes of the nearby churches bell tower that had startled him from his slumber, but his Lawliet's cries during the night. The raven next to him, being held in his arms, was shaking like an autumn leaf, eyes closed tightly, as if L was trying to block out a sight that could not be blotched away. The older one was also biting his lip, hard enough that a drop or two of blood had begun to leak out. Toes were curled, but not in pleasure, and more whines escaped trembling, pale lips.

"N-No…Please…Make them stop…"

"…L…"

_So this is why he doesn't sleep…nightmares, but that isn't really a surprise…He probably only got sleep during these past few days due to…my actions wearing him out…_

"…Uhhh…m-make them go away…"

"Shh…come here…"

The raven was already in Beyond's arms, but still at a farther distance; so, the killer pulled the fearful detective even closer, resting the older one's head in the crook of his neck, laying L's chest on top of his. Instantly, Lawliet, snuggled closer, as if he'd found what he had been searching for all along.

"Don't let them get me…Please…"

"…Lawli…I-I won't…Whoever they are…"

"Beyond…"

"!?" The killer was shocked at the mentioning of his name from the sleeping raven, who seemed to be calming down, "…L-Lawli?"

"…Save me…from them...him……and my sins…"

_Sins…?_

"I…I will, don't worry…"

No, it was B's job to worry now; worry about protecting **his** L,** his** Lawliet. No one would touch him; no one would take him, not without a fight. L might start to trust him in time, and certainly no one, not a soul, would try to take Lawli away from him before then. Beyond Birthday believed firmly that L could and would be won over with time, patience, and compassion. The raven would see that B cared for him, actually loved him. And yes, B would deny it no longer: He loved this man, and yet still hated some aspects of him. But what love doesn't consist of hate? None, for that matter, for all do. The two feelings are so combined that they cannot be separated; there is no grey line no matter how hard one wishes to see it.

Giving up now would be a sin in itself; it was just impossible, and it would be irrational. L needed healing, needed real companionship…which, when B really thought about it, that was what he needed too: Healing, companionship, love, admittance to feelings. The man knew, though, that he was talking about L Lawliet here, the World's Greatest Detective. Cracking open that shell would be like trying to crack open an Antarctic iceberg with a flimsy stick. But…with adjustments, thinking, and time, it could be done. Perhaps not the "stick and ice" thing, but this, oh this, could definitely be accomplished.

All in a matter of time…

_That is all it will take…Just a matter of time…_

So the duo curled up, their bodies' heat warming each other, breathing softly….

As the night sky let loose rain droplets, which fell into a pitter patter on to the warehouse roof, while the dying chimes of the church sung the last notes of their somber song…

OOoOoOOoOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooOOoOoOOOoOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A/N: Ah….So, this was an angsty chapter, or at least from B and L's point of views. And there is MUCH more to come! Those two will have a fight next chappie, so stick around for that, but expect romance too.

And I love writing the Wammy's boy's parts in this….it's just too much : D

And Raito….what can I say about you…well, a lot, but let's not go there… XD

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter, I'll be updating soon! Thanks so much!!

Oh, and by the way, the time difference between England and Japan, after finding it with the help of Google, is 8 hours, so you'll see that time difference from now on! ; D


	10. Playtime

A/N: Hellooooo there everyone! : D Decided to write another chapter of this one for you all and I have some lovely inspiration come to me, so I figured, hey, why not put this one out next? ^^ Anyway, please enjoy, and cookies to all who reviewed last time ((tosses cookies)) and thanks for all of the favs and reviews and alerts! Leave a comment/review if you wish! : D

And yeah, **I don't own Death Note** or the works of **William Shakespeare**…just this story :)

_OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoOOOOOOOOOOOoO_

_"To mourn a mischief that is past and gone is the next way to draw new mischief on."_

_-"Othello" - (Act I, Scene III)_

_OOOooOOOooOooOOOoOOOoOOOOooOOOOOooOOooooOOoooooooooooOOOoO_

**~Beyond's Warehouse: Next Day, 8 A.M.~**

"Yes…quite interesting…"

It was a soft murmur, with only a soft decibel, but with Beyond's expert and stunning hearing, his pale ears picked up the sound; ruby red round orbs blinked slowly, opening with care, and B's subconscious washed away the miasma of sleep, bringing him back into the realm of the awake.

His lanky body was spread across the bed haphazardly, and the moment the copy was fully awake, he noticed with a start that L Lawliet was not in his arms, where the raven had last been. Immediately, B swerved his head around, searching for the man; relief came a moment later when he found his Lawli to be standing about a foot away, very near the bed, gazing at the ceiling with his black saucers of eyes.

"Hmm…Yes…I wonder…"

"…Heh…Lawli's speaking to himself. You know that that is a sign of insanity, don't you Lawliet?" B spoke gently, shaking his head teasingly.

"Hmm?" The detective turned back towards his companion, whom he was still chained to, the metal link stretching as far as it could, and L flashed a small smile to the other, that was there for just a few seconds, vanishing once more, "Well, that does not surprise me, Beyond. For many have already called me insane and-or crazy."

The killer chuckled as L came back towards the bed, getting into his crouch, "You're the good kind of insanity L; if you are any type of insane…I'm the bad kind. The kind people avoid, and want to lock away." B's smile had fallen into a sad frown.

"…I did not know there were actual types of insanity, Beyond…"

"…"

What had started out as a spontaneous, friendly conversation had turned to awkward silence, both men looking in opposite directions; finally, L was the one who had enough courage (or gall) to speak up.

"…Do…you really think of yourself as insane?"

"…Why shouldn't I? I mean….I've always denied it, but….just look at what I did to you Lawli…what I did during those murders, how I acted at Wammy's House. You cannot tell me that all of that behavior can be classified as normal."

"Perhaps not…but there is nothing wrong with not being normal, is there?"

"…Do you like normal?" Beyond questioned softly, staring at Lawliet with genuinely curious orbs.

"In all honesty, no, I do not. Normality can be quite boring, yes? And I hate boredom."

"Mm…Yeah…but I'm still insane." The copy sighed, lying back onto the bed near the man he wanted most, "…You don't mind that I am insane…right?" There was some apprehension in B's voice.

"...No. But I still feel that-"

"I AM insane, L," B pressed, "And you may not want to agree because you're afraid to see my reaction, but just admit, okay?"

"…Okay. I feel that you are greatly mentally insane, through your actions, words, obsession, and past." Lawliet stated bluntly, and it was so blunt, it made the copy flinch.

"…Thanks…See, it was true…" The jam-lover buried his face in his hands as he stretched his body more, lying more comfortably on the bed.

"But…" L spoke up again, and Beyond lifted his head once the raven had trailed off, "I…I have…come to…become used to you somewhat. I am actually having a conversation with you, am I not? That must mean something, especially after…everything…"

"...Yeah…" B hesitantly spoke, for the men were still on a precarious edge; one wrong move and it could spell certain doom for whatever…you could call the relationship they had at the moment.

Though, Beyond did not want silence to permeate the air, that would be most unwelcome, so the copy spoke once more, "Hey, L…when you were talking earlier….what was so 'interesting' to you?"

"Ah…I was speaking of the Wara Ningyo." The lanky man pointed a finger up above to the ceiling, focusing on the straw dolls nailed to the ceiling, and the ones hanging by rope, "I was just looking at them, and I was quite curious of their position…and why they were there in the first place."

"Oh…well, there's nothing a few nails, rope, and a giant ladder can't accomplish…Heh…" The jam-lover paused, "As for why they are up there…I don't know, I just wanted them up there. I've always had a fascination with Wara Ningyo, ever since I was a child." B sighed, turning his eyes towards the eastern wall, "…I was lonely back then. Even before A came along, I didn't have any friends. I spent most of my time alone, so I picked up on playing with the Wara Ningyo. They were easy to make too, I could steal the supplies if needed, and I'd just have fun….actually have fun with something…in my room. I could…could act out what I wanted; dreams, fantasies, issues…even dark stuff…they made me feel like I had control of something in my life."

"Mmm." The detective gave an encouraging murmur, gently coaxing the younger man on, for L could tell B had more to speak.

"…Since I didn't have a lot of control of things back then…that's probably why I'm so controlling and vindictive now. And now, even as an adult, I'm hesitant to stop fiddling with the straw dolls. It's become a hobby of mine just to have them around, to touch them and do things with them. Place them around wherever I was staying…" B stopped, internally surprised; he was speaking of his past, confessing emotions he wanted to keep dormant until well, the end of it all, whatever that end may be. But here was L Lawliet, just lying there, listening, and Beyond found himself spilling out his soul as if the detective was a preacher to confess sins to. It was quite shocking to B, and he tried to keep a neutral mask on his face.

"Many humans have objects that they have special bonds to, so that is not surprising, Beyond." L quipped, nodding again in encouragement.

"Yeah…like you and your sweets?" The killer softly chuckled, and he turned to see Lawliet roll his eyes.

"Yes, yes, like my sweets…"

…

It was silent again for some time, neither knowing what to speak of next; how could one talk to the man they had raped repeatedly, and how could one talk to their serial rapist, whom had been obsessed with them for years, and was still, and had also confessed their love to you as they had a knife looming over your pale neck, ready to slice it open, but changing their mind at the last moment?

…Yes, it would be quite difficult.

"You were lonely…" L mused to himself, mainly, "…Perhaps that place was built on loneliness."

"What do you mean, Lawli?" Beyond moved closer to his companion, wide bloody eyes watching the lanky man, whom sat up, stretching.

"…Nothing really. Just that…many were lonely over there." A cryptic answer from a cryptic man; but when was that a surprise?

"…That's not a surprise, isn't it? All we did was hear about the great L, and study; we tried to have fun and make friends, but it was hard…especially for those that wanted to be great like you, and meet you. Others didn't do that as much, the kids were just there because they didn't have a home, and studying, living heartily, and making friends were fine enough for them…but lots of us…wanted to be great like you. To **be** you…"

"…Like yourself?" L questioned kindly, but with a blank tone; B could tell the man was genuinely curious, though, so he continued.

"…Yes. I suppose I did want to be great like you. Have people look at me as something other than a monster, a demon, like someone that should burn. I wanted to BE you too…own you in some way…"

_And I still do…_

_And you still do…_

That little phrase did not need to be said, both men knew it was true, and only spoke it in their heads.

"They only thought of you as a monster because you were different from the other children, Beyond. Immaturity and understanding blossom in the wistful and young. You are not actually that different from people, yes?"

"Psh. Lawli, did you hurt your head? You KNOW I'm different…look at me, look at my actions." He paused, "Look at my eyes…"

_Eyes that hold a secret, L…one that you shall never find out…_

_I'll tell you everything…all that I can…_

_Except for what my eyes really are…_

"Your eyes…yes, they are different, but…quite nice."

"!?" Beyond gazed at L incredulously, blinking rapidly, "E-Excuse me?"

"Your eyes are red; that is unique coloring for a human to have, unless he is an albino, which you are not. They are quite nice, and attractive in a sense."

"…"

B just stared, shocked at what Lawliet had just let slip from his mouth.

_My eyes…unique…? ATTRACTIVE…? N-No one has ever told me that…_

_No one…_

_I always thought them to be…cursed…_

_L…_

"…Uh…thanks…" B tried to hide the blush that threatened to bloom on his normally pale cheeks; sadly, his hiding attempts were failing, and the crimson mark did appear, so the killer chose instead to hide his face by burying it in the mattress he was seated upon, lying down with a flop.

"Beyond, are you ill?" Lawliet questioned, and the killer only replied with a shake of his head,

"Are you sure B? You…seem quiet at the moment." Another shake of the copy's head, and L let the topic drop, he too choosing to lie back onto the bed, but the older man curled up into himself while lying on the dirty, springy bed; once more, both men found themselves into that pool of awkward silence, both feeling the air heavy with tension.

Finally, BB let out a sigh with a shake of his head, musing to himself, "What are we doing…?"

"Hm? What was that?" The detective had caught the statement, his hearing all too amazing, and L questioned the man he was chained to.

"….Look at us. We're talking…actually talking…"

"Yes…that is what people usually do to one another, and-" Lawliet caught on as to what the killer was getting at, and only finished with an, "Oh…"

"Yeah, Oh…" Beyond sighed, "After all this, here we are…just talking…why? How can we **do** that? After EVERYTHING?"

"I do not know, B. It just-"

"Doesn't make sense." Beyond finished for the man he loved, and turned his eyes to stare at L, "…Why doesn't it make sense, Lawli?"

"…I do not know." Lanky shoulders of the detective just shrugged, "Perhaps many aspects of life should not make sense."

"…" The jam-lover kept silent, but scooted closer to L, and after a moment of decision making, he laid his head on the detective's shoulder; immediately, L stiffened, and that was B's cue to remove himself from the older one's being, "I….s-sorry." The copy apologized remorsefully, "I just…..I can't control myself that well…"

"It is fine. I am just…"

"Tense? Nervous? Apprehensive?" B suggested when his companion trailed off.

"All of the above I suppose…I feel…numb somewhat…still…"

"…How about worthless? Do you feel that, Lawli-pop?"

"Perhaps…yes, I do. But all of the feelings have conglomerated into a mass that is quite hard to describe, Beyond. In the simplest sense of course."

"Of course…and I guess I should not really expect you to open up to me, just like that, huh?"

"Indeed, Beyond." Lawliet confirmed, even adding a nod to show even more so how concrete his answer was.

"Mmm……Yes…so, you hungry?" B gave a smile, "I mean, you didn't get fed a whole lot earlier, and I can get you something?"

L's blank stare bore into the killer, but the man did not let his nerves show one ounce; after some time, Lawliet finally spoke, "Alright. Cake?"

"…Cake…"

"Yes, cake? Do you have some? I will eat that."

"…" B was silent, giving L a hard stare, "Choose something else."

"?!" The raven blinked, tilting his head to show a perplexed mood, "May I ask why?"

"Yes. I'm sick of seeing you eat nothing but sweets; you'll destroy your body like that. I HAVE been watching you, you know, and I've seen your horrid habits, L."

"You said you would get me whatever I wished-"

"NO. I did not, don't try to put words into my mouth, you expert liar. I can see right through you like glass, Lawli."

"…I WANT something sweet, Beyond. You and I both know that that type of food is what I mainly eat; it is what I mainly enjoy. So I suggest that if you wish for me to eat, you bring me something of that nature."

B huffed, "You speak of being broken, yet you order me around like some servant. Really, is this how you treat WAMMY?"

"…" L shot a nasty glare at his copy, but remained silent. It was for the better though, for in seconds, B unchained the two of them, and fastened Lawliet to the bed's handcuffs once more, leaving him there.

"I'll bring you some damned food." The jam-lover spat, stomping off out of the room, leaving a wary and nervous L trapped, fear alight in his eyes, biting his pale lips in anticipation.

Beyond huffed and mumbled under his breath all the way to the kitchen. flinging open the fridge door with a bang; oh, he knew exactly what he was going to get Lawli-pop.

_Stupid idiot…I start treating him nice, and look how he acts…stupid L…still a rude, heartless bastard sometimes…_

But the image of L sobbing, in tears, as he had been last night in the bathroom, flashed through his mind, and the killer's body froze.

…_Heh…you try to hide your emotions…but then they just come out ten-fold at the worst times, like when I want to love you…when I want to just have you as mine…And look at us; arguing over cake and your eating habits…one would think that we're already-_

…

"…" B dropped the food he had in his hands (which were fresh carrots sticks), as a rosy blush came on his face, and he bit his lip not to let out a squeal of embarrassment.

_Dear God, what is wrong with me…?! Thinking things like that…saying things like that…It will NOT help this situation…!_

The copy ran to the rusty kitchen sink, splashing his blushing face with plenty of water, hoping to take away the embarrassing color; the man was gasping heavily, trying to get his cool and calm demeanor back, but was failing miserably. If he kept this up…

_Who knows what will happen…I'll have to…do SOMETHING…_

Finally feeling refreshed and calm enough, B went back to the refrigerator, picking up the carrots he had dropped so clumsily.

_Well…he better like these…because they are what I'm giving to him, no cake or sweets until he eats ANYTHING nutritional; god, I sound like his mother…but he won't take care of himself…now, what else is in here…?_

The copy returned to his task, coming to find some celery which he had acquired (stolen) from the local market, along with some broccoli pieces.

"There. He'll like these. I'll **make** my Lawli like them."

Feeling triumphant, and extremely good about himself, he had not felt this good in such a long time, Beyond marched out of the kitchen, returning to the bound detective, whom was seated up, staring at the door in anticipation.

"Alright, you, eat up." B commanded as he came closer to the older one, setting the plate down with a hard thump, and fixing L's handcuff situation, so he was once again chained to the killer.

"…" L just stared blankly at the plate of vegetables in front of him; the expression on his face was both laughable and pitiable, for the great detective looked like a child whom had never seen such healthy, organic treats. When the man picked up one carrot stick by his forefinger and thumb, eyeing it suspiciously, it confirmed in his mind even more the idea of a child-like L. Well, truth be told, L was childish already, but he even seemed MORE like one now.

"…Why did you bring me these?" L monotonously droned out, giving his companion a blank, bored stare.

"Because, L. You're not getting anything sweet or fattening until you at least eat some form of nutrition."

_Because it might actually help make your life longer you dumb ass…that death date might not just be from Kira…_

"Beyond, I do not need to eat these; and sweets are fine, for if you use your head, no weight shall be gained."

"…" The killer just stared at his companion as if he had spouted demon wings, or had grown a second head.

"Do not proceed to give me that sort of look."

"Why shouldn't I? You're spouting nonsense, you know." B spat vehemently. "Really, Lawliet, are you absolutely sure of your dietary habits? Why not-"

"Why do I need to try something different, hmm? Was that what you were about to say?"

"How do you know what I was about to say, L?!" B could feel his anger rising rapidly; L knew exactly how to push his buttons, and the man had no qualms about doing so either.

"Because, Beyond," L stood up, pushing the plate, which was still being held by B's hand towards him, back towards the killer rather harshly, "You are quite easy to read."

"…" Beyond just glared at the man, and in returned shoved the vegetables back towards the detective, "Oh, AM I? Well, I could say the same thing about YOU, Mr. I-Know-Everything. Here I am, trying to do something NICE for a change, and for YOU, and yet you just shove it back in my face like some…some pompous stuck-up snob!"

"For a change would be the correct phrase I would use, Beyond." L loomed closer to his copy, "Really, since it is quite true; the ability to be nice is not in your realm of doing, now is it?"

"…" Beyond was in full "rage mode" by this time; how DARE the detective spew such horrid nonsense to the man who had SAVED him from Kira!...Or at least that was what BB wanted himself to be known as, the man was trying to block out the past of what he had actually done to Lawliet, trying to see himself in a new light; perhaps that was why L's words angered him all the more: the detective was dragging the past back out again.

"Just. Eat. The. Damn. Food." The copy spat shoving the plate to L's nose, glaring at him with a hellish stare the whole while.

"…" The raven just glared at the food, and in seconds, shoved the plate out of Beyond's hand, the ceramic shattering to the ground in minute and mega pieces. "I shall not, when it is something I did not ASK FOR."

BAM…

Beyond had had enough, his fury had reached its peak, and instantly, he shoved a fist at L's bony and already bruised face; the older one stumbled back in surprise, and of course, B went tumbling somewhat as well, but caught himself as the ground grew nearer at the fall. L, though, had not been so lucky, and fell back onto his butt with "oomph".

"You bastard…I'm trying to do something NICE for you and you-!?!"

SLAM…

L, to the surprise of the copy, and the detective himself, actually retaliated with a sharp kick to the younger one's face, sending B flying back with a startled scream, landing on his back with a hard bang.

"Really? **Nice**? If you had been nice, you would have given me what I ASKED FOR!"

"…" B rubbed his bruised face with a grimace for a smile; how had the detective gained such strength back so fast? And his attitude….it had gone from being broken and meek to prideful in the matter of minutes, if not seconds. When had that change occurred?

"Heh…for "going through Hell", you seem to have gained some strength back L…"

"Yes. And not only that, my legs and feet were the parts least damaged during our….earlier encounters." But Beyond did not miss the wince L displayed as his hand touched his right foot, the one that had landed squarely in B's face.

"I can see that....and about that cake…."

"Hmm? Oh, you will get it for me now? I did ask-"

BAM…

"We don't always get what we ASK FOR!!" B had once again punched the man he loved; normally, his common sense and brain MIGHT stop him from punching Lawliet, but his anger towards the man was so great at this point, he did not even bother to listen to that puny voice in his head that told him to halt his actions. Though, the killer **did **promise himself he would not let this fight go to extreme lengths…such as rape.

L did not seem to have any ideas for stopping either, for the moment the detective's lanky body hit the ground, he growled in an animalistic manner (Beyond would never admit to a living soul that that sound had turned him on to extreme measures), and jumped towards his copy, whom had fallen back once more due to the chain, and kicked him hard in the stomach.

"No, we don't. But we also get things we DIDN'T ask for as well." L growled, and after B had groaned at the kick, his bony hands had managed to grasp onto the raven's foot, which was on his stomach, the older man standing over him.

"Yeah…like what?"

"Like being chained to a…psychopath."

"?!" B screamed in rage, and with an anger-fueled burst of strength, he flung the older man hard by his foot, L crashing to the ground with a loud bang, Beyond moving due to the chain, but still having his balance remain, "THAT'S IT! You're SO going to get it NOW!"

The fight escalated, and once L had gotten back onto his feet, the man rained swift kicks down upon B, three to be exact, the first two hitting the killer's face and stomach, but the third blow was actually caught by Beyond, and Lawliet's eyes had widen at the reflexive move.

"You've forgotten L…I'm not a pushover. And I've had…self-TRAINING."

B threw the man once more, and even though the chain hinder himself somewhat, he struck a blow right to the detective's face, a hit that was sure to leave a black-eye in due time.

An acrobatic display came forth, both men using their feet and fists to faithfully land blows on the other; L even did a spin-kick maneuver, shocking his copy, whom was flung back, but returned the blow, a kick to L's abdomen, not a moment later. Thankfully, that blow had not been an inch lower…or the raven would have been severely angered.

The duo continued the dance of hits, blows, fists, and kicks for some time, at least five minutes, some blood from noses flying, some bruises already beginning to form. Until finally, both pale fellows began to pant, and when L finally collapsed onto his rear end, B did the same, landing right next to the man he loved.

"Heh……Uhh…" Beyond groaned, holding his head, "Dammit, Lawli, you kick too hard…my poor head…"

"Well, look at my eye?" L gave a small half-heated laugh, "I'm going to have even more bruises now…"

"…"

"…"

Both men were silent; the silences so awkward, so uncomfortable, that Beyond had to turn his head away, partly in humiliation, partly in shame.

"I'm…I'm sorry." He mumbled, "It was my fault…I should have just brought you the damn cake…you wanted it, and I'm trying to be nice…prove that I love you, and here I just-"

"No. It is my fault." L affirmed sternly, gazing hard at the other, "You were just trying to look out for my well-being, trying to make me eat healthier, and I was acting like a spoiled brat." The raven sighed a somber sigh, and B could feel his heart tug roughly, in an odd manner, which it had been doing in L's presence for some time now.

"L…" The killer reached a hand out, to gently touch Lawliet's face, to caress a bruise he himself caused, but instantly the raven stiffened, and turned his head away.

"Please. Don't touch." It was shameful order, and B was hurt, but he did not let it show, for he understood why the other would say such a thing. But in that instant…the copy understood something else, and he blinked rapidly at the revelation.

_I get it now…by what he meant by…"conglomerated mass of feelings"…and "broken"…_

_He's broken in some senses, but in others, he is starting to gain his strength back…I can tell his pride and anger are returning to him, that fight clearly shows it…but when it comes to human compassion…contact, joyous contact…kind contact…he's still broken._

_He won't accept it…it just brings back painful memories…made by myself and that other man…and whoever else might have hurt him in the past…_

_But then again, he is beginning to open up…last night, in the bathroom…that was a part of the real L…not just the emotionless exterior…the one who cries when he is hurt…the one who cares about saving people…the one who…_

_Who might be able to __**love**__…?_

…

_And I am the one who brought his anger and pride back…he is starting to feel less worthless, and I don't think he even knows it…I brought that back…__**me**__…Beyond Birthday…a killer…a heartless man…I am making him feel again…and…_

_For the first time…_

"I did not mean that comment about you being a psychopath, you know." Lawliet broke the other out of his thoughts, and B turned his face towards the raven.

"Oh? Um…thanks…I figured that. When in anger, people say stupid things, right?" Beyond felt a blush beginning to bloom on his face, and he tried to hide it.

"Yes, they do…and I am not sure why I acted that way, B. It…is quite odd."

_It's because you are coming around, you fool…you're returning back to your old self somewhat…in good ways though…the L I know from years ago would not have had the gall to apologize for something…he would think that it was the other person's fault…_

B just shrugged, and his ruby orbs locked onto L's face, sparkling somewhat happily, but still serious and concerned; this was not just a time to be all giddy about anything and everything. The situation both men were in was precarious and serious, not to be taken lightly.

…_I also have a time limit…to make L love me…to come around and change…to open up, and be more human…_

_I just know Wammy, and whoever the hell else, is looking for Lawli…And…_

_Mmm…_

Beyond could not seem to look away from the other, whom had closed his eyes, trying to steady his breath and just relax for the time being. The killer's eyes roamed all over the lanky figure and his bruises, and a heat began stirring inside B.

_N-No…not NOW…S-Stop it…_

Graphic images began flashing through B's mind, images of the man he loved, nude, but also bruised, and even a little bloody, but not enough to be deadly. Perhaps a scratch or two here or there, but it was more that L was nude, legs spread out, moaning loudly, with lusty glazed eyes, black hair tousled, hands grasping for Beyond, eager for B to do whatever he wanted to L.

"Hnn…" It was just a soft groan, and the copy could not contain it, unfortunately.

_Dammit…why did I have to be turned on by PAIN…and HIS pain…?_

It was all too true; Beyond's masochistic and sadistic qualities were very strong, almost too strong in some senses. Pain made him quite aroused, whether it was being done to himself, or another person. But if it was done to another person, it only sometimes turned him on; it depended on whom the victim was; their looks, life, lifestyle, etcetera. But since it was L Lawliet…

That made the arousal all the stronger; B had never felt so much lust surging through his veins before as he stared at L's bruises and hurt face. Other men and women whom he had seen hurt, or had hurt, well, they might have made him somewhat hard, but most likely, it went away in due time…or he took care of it. But now…

And as well, he too was hurt, and by the raven himself, which at that thought, electric sparks shot up his spine, demanding acts of lust and love at that moment, but what could Beyond do? It was not like he could just go up to L and say, "You make me hard, let's fuck", now could he?

"Uhh…" B shook his head, trying to will the feelings to go away, for the sake of his sanity, for the sake of L's calm demeanor, but his mind and member were having none of that.

"Hm? Beyond are you alright?" L turned his head, opaque, murky black-gray eyes shining into B's crimson own.

"Um…Uh…"

_D-Don't look at me like that…!! You idiot, are you trying to make me go-_

"You are having trouble speaking…and you seem frustrated. Have you been sleeping well? Perhaps the stress of the fight? Or maybe you need food in you…"

_I'm not tired, stressed, or hungry, I'm HORNY, you idiot…!! For YOU…! My God, you are that much of a social retard…I figured you were, but…AGH, dammit, Lawliet, you are making this so much harder…and THAT was a poor word choice on MY part…UGH…_

"Umm…I-I…I just…"

"Perhaps you should just take care of your problem? I'm not sure what it is…but you say you wish to be civil, to prevent fights, and if you solve it, there shall be no confrontation, yes? And then we'll be better off, for we do not need something to kick and punch each other over, yes? Especially when it hurts…ouch…Heh…" L rubbed the side of his face, but before he could close his eyes…

B did something a little drastic…

The killer grabbed Lawliet's face, bringing it inches from his own; cherry-shade eyes held a somewhat manic gleam as they peered into the detective's midnight orbs, just staring hard, lips centimeters from each other, tiny pants escaping Beyond's. L's expression held some fear, but it was fuller of surprise, shock, astonishment, in all truth.

The duo froze in that position, words silently being conveyed through the gaze, neither men daring to speak, nor whisper a word to each other. But feelings were conveyed in that one gaze, which both would admit to one another, and themselves, later on.

_I need you…_

_He needs me here…_

_I have to have you…_

_He wants to own me in a way…_

_I want to protect you…_

_He wants to be my protector…_

_I'll save you…_

_Can he save me…?_

_I'll save you from the demons that haunt you…_

_I need him to save me…but it has to be him…Because he is the only one who has dared to reach this far inside me…_

_I'll destroy all who wish to harm you…_

_He wants me to be the only one in his life…_

_I love you…_

…_He loves me…?_

_I do love you…_

_He really does love me…_

_I always have loved you…_

_This has existed for the longest time…that…that is what he is trying to tell me…_

_You're all I need…All I'll ever truly feel love for…_

_He wants…me to love him…_

…

…

Neither men kept track of how long they were locked in that gaze, time was not on their minds at the moment.

"…Beyond…" Lawliet softly whispered, his head tilting out of curiosity, but the man had suddenly found B's hands to be soft…warm…almost comforting…

"…" The killer could not hold it in any longer, and with a quick, but oh-so passionate kiss on L's lips, he rapidly unlocked the handcuff chaining himself to L, and locked the raven to the bed once more.

"S-Stay here! D-Don't go anywhere!" B unlocked his own cuff, flinging the metal links down to the ground, running rapidly to the door.

"But where can I-"

SLAM

"…Go?"

"…" A perplexed Lawliet eyed the door for some time, but eventually relaxed, remaining in his crouch; the detective needed this time to think, for while the duo had just stared into each other moments before, L came to his own revelation.

_How…no, not just how, but also **why**…_

_How and why could I read his eyes so easily…his expression…? He did not speak a word to me, yet…I felt as if he was silently conveying all of what I could tell…that he loves me, that he wishes to save me…_

_Normally I can read people so easily, so it does not surprise me that well…but more of it being that…_

_What I read…how honest that emotion was…it is downright shocking, mainly…_

…_Was that real love in his eyes…? My mind immediately read it as that…and my mind is right ninety-nine percent of the time…so there are many mysteries here…_

_B was never one to just lay out his emotions for the world to see, so I never suspected I could read HIM that easily……But back there, I DID…and…what I saw was…_

_Amazing…_

_His…emotions…though they are truly perplexing…_

_They are also quite real…_

OooOooOooooOOoOoOoOOooOOooooOOOOOOOooo

One could phrase B's situation as being precarious, odd, awkward, and a whole dictionary's worth of words.

B himself described himself as being royally screwed (BAD choice of words, poor man) as he had his back against the wall, standing weakly about a foot away from the door leading back to L's room.

Extremely aroused, and with a wandering mind, Beyond knew what exactly he would have to do to take care of his…well, himself. Thinking about something not arousing never worked for him, unfortunately, especially when it was L, or thoughts of the detective, that had made him aroused in the first place. Once that man got into his head at a certain point and time, trying to extract him was like trying to destroy a gigantic weed in a miniature garden.

"Hhhn…God, I hate what you do to me, you bastard…and you don't even realize it…Or how a-amazing you are." The killer spat to himself, speaking of the nearby raven.

But Beyond knew what he exactly had to do, and frankly, he did not have a problem with it, it was just more annoying and it always happened at the worst times.

Besides…he had masturbated to L, thoughts of L, and even a picture of L before…

Silently closing his bedroom door, the young man looked around at the mess, and sighed. Lawliet had been forced to clean it days earlier, yet the room had already become a mess again; B felt saddened as he remembered that horrific memory, forcing the man to be his servant…

But then the image of L in the skimpy maid outfit popped into his brain, and he groaned as he fell onto his mattress; a sigh escaped his lightly-tinted red lips, and B rolled onto his back.

"Mmm…" B felt it was best to get this over quick, so he sat up, throwing off his shirt, tossing it nearby. The jeans came next, unbuttoning and unzipping them carefully, and shrugging them down to his ankles. A ghostly white hand floated over the front of the killer's boxers, and he shivered as fingers touched the tent that had formed there.

"Uhh…" Beyond let his hand slip inside the article of clothing to grasp his member gently, and he groaned as sparks of pleasure shot up his spine instantaneously at the touch. But the man felt restricted, so he quickly removed his hand, throwing off his boxers, letting them land nearby on the dirty floor.

"…Hahn…" B grasped his erection once more, firmer this time, and gasped at the marvelous sensations that filled his body at the grip, his hips bucking roughly into the touch. Shivering in pleasure already, the hand began to slowly move up and down the engorged member, and Beyond let out another groan, falling back onto the mattress, whining out, "L-Lawliet…."

The hand sped up its movements, and B's normally pale body, mainly due to lack of sunlight and some makeup, became flushed a light, cute pinkish hue; erratic pants escaped the man's open lips, and even some drool was coming out as well. Scarlet eyes were glazed, and the orbs rolled back somewhat as the pleasure increased to higher levels.

"Hah…Hah…Ohh L-Lawli!" The killer tried to remain as quiet as he could, but images of L continued to flash in his head, like a television that was having its channels change rapidly. B imaged it was L's hand gripping his lower regions, tugging, pumping, roughly; he pictured L's scorching eyes boring into his own, and Beyond let out a mewl at the image. And when a nude L came into his mind, still pumping him roughly, but on a more comfortable bed, perhaps with satin, blood-red sheets, Beyond let out a whine, arching off the bed just a tiny bit.

"Ahhh…Y-Yes! L-Lawli...Oh, LAWLIET…" Now the copy did not care about decibel level at all; if he wanted to scream L's name, dammit, he would scream L Lawliet's name: The name that made him shriek in pleasure, squirm in nervousness; the title of the man that made his blood boil with anger, lust, and even love.

"Hnn…" Pre-cum had already been on his member for some time, but now it was greatly leaking, and B's spidery fingers had spread it all over; B's left hand came up to caress his chest, picturing that it was L's fingers dancing along his skin, pinching his nipples, making him cry out in bliss, in pure joy. The copy arched off the bed again, as he continued to scream L's name.

"G-God yes…L, L…L…Oh, L…LAWLI!" The ending name coming out as a whine, as Beyond pumped as fast and hard as he could, the man knowing he would not last much longer.

Panting roughly, B grabbed his discarded shirt, and hugged it close; imaging it was Lawliet's, that it was his clothing he was holding. The killer even smelled it, hoping to gain just a small whiff of L's scent, and there was some faint odor there, a faint strawberry smell, and Beyond whined; the aroma must have attached itself when he had slept next to L for the past few nights.

"Hah! O-OH GOD!" Pleasure was looming through his body, and B could not contain himself anymore, screaming, "LAWLIET!" in pure ecstasy, arching off the bed, coming into his hand violently as his hips bucked into his hand, and all over himself somewhat as well.

"Hah…Hah…Hah…" BB closed his eyes in bliss, still on the high from his orgasm as he laid on his dirty mattress, on his back, head towards the ceiling, "Mmm…" The jam-lover licked his lips as gratification coursed through his veins still, his mind turning towards Lawliet once more. "You bastard…" He said with a grin, and even a soft chuckle, "Making me touch myself because you're so damn sexy…"

The young man sighed again peacefully, content with laying there for a little while, in the privacy of his own room. Beyond was glad enough that he had had at least enough control and common sense (that had not been replaced by hormones earlier) to get to his room, and shut the door, for this…this act…it showed how vulnerable the copy could really be, and B hated showing that. It showed how much he needed L, craved L, and it was almost disturbing on some levels…

But then again, Beyond had always been one for the disturbing.

B's clean hand came up to caress his lips, sighing as the bony fingers touches the pale surface. He remembered how he had kissed L before coming here, how he had looked into his eyes, just stared into those midnight orbs, trying to convey a message of hopeful love.

_Mmm…Do I need to keep doing what I am doing…? Just…try to be kind…not hurt him again…? But how long will it take…? Do I really have that much time…no, I do not, now that really, truly think about it. …I need to win him over, but not force him to love me…how can I…? _

…_I need to open myself up more to him…in turn, he might open himself up too…he did already, he shared his torturous past…that has to be something he has never shared with another mortal, save Wammy… _A wave of sudden happiness flew through Beyond, _I need to open up more…we both need to…that is what lovers do, right…? They care, they fight…they open up about things…? I'd be better off if I knew exactly what I was doing, but I don't…it is like I am traversing in the dark, opening doors to see what is a right path to go down to, and falling down with failure due to the wrong paths…I can't make that many mistakes though, or I shall lose him permanently…_

…_He already knows a lot about me…my anger, my hurt…Sadly, I just showed him all of that in the wrong way…_

…_But I have to keep going…we-we're making progress: He is talking to me…actually smiling once in a while, even if it is so minute, and he does not want me to notice it…And I am actually acting civilized…amazing, I never…never acted this caring before…_

_I never gave a damn about anything, but…_

_Even though I hated him so much back then…yet, still loved him…that means I cared about him…right?_

_I have cared about L this whole time…whether I showed it through hatred, love, anger, sadness…all of that is caring…_

_I just…need to keep my emotions pure, my past open…_

…_It will make me vulnerable though…and…I would hate for that to happen, and then have him…leave or…or worse…_

_November 5, 2004…_

_November 5, 2004…_

_November 5, 2004…!_

_I have to have him before then…I need to save him…this isn't going to be a temporary thing, a fling, if I can have it…he'll be with me as long as he possibly can, and he needs someone to protect him…Old Wammy will die someday, and then what…?! L will be alone…cold, without anyone there…_

_I won't let that happen to him, I just won't…_

With even greater confidence, Beyond stood up, and reached his hand into a nearby cardboard box, one of the many in the room, and pulled out a towel, and began to clean himself up, wiping off his juices, and once finished, reached for a new set of clothes, still the same black three-quarters length shirt, faded jeans, and black boxers.

As he opened the door to return to the raven, Beyond's ears caught a sound, and his ruby eyes blinked rapidly.

_Oh…that…that's right! I forgot about her…!_

A tiny grin came to B's face, and he hurried back to the older man, swinging open the door roughly.

"Hmm? Beyond, there you are…are you alright?" L questioned with sincerity.

"I'm great, and you're coming with me somewhere!" Beyond ran to L, releasing the bed's handcuffs, and attached the detective to himself again, with his personal set of handcuffs.

"May I ask where we are going?" Lawliet was a little shocked at B's sudden behavior, but went along with it as the man dragged him to the door.

"Oh, we're going to go see something…or someone, I suppose. People would refer to her as different things, I guess. Now come on!" B flung open the door, dragging L with him down the hall rapidly, heading towards another closed door.

_Her…? Is it…a person…? An object…? What is he so eager to show me…?_

_And why am I wishing that it is not some woman he…may have feelings for…?_

OoOOooooOOoOOoOoOoOOoOOoOOooOooOOOooOOoOOO

**Miles Away, in the Osaka District: Bantini Bemouir's "Home"**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The home was right where the e-mail had stated, and here was Raito, standing in front of the small, gray scale apartment. 28339 Grove Isle, exactly as it had been listed as.

"Hehehe…well, this is the place, right Raito? Nice little pad, if I do say so myself…" Ryuk chuckled, forced to tag along.

"Yeah, it is. But I am not sure if someone is here, it is hard to tell." Raito looked around at the exterior of the apartment; there was some mail nearby and there had been a car in the driveway. Flowers were blooming somewhat, a few red rose bushes. But as well, it was extremely silent in the area, except for a few walking pedestrians, and a couple holding hands and kissing on an in close proximity bench.

"Hehe…Go on, knock. I bet there's someone in there, Raito."

"And what if there isn't? What then?"

"Break in, of course!" The Death God gave an eerie smile to his "master".

"…" The brunette spoke not a word, but he knew what Ryuk was saying to be true. He would probably have to break in to get information, if it was absolutely needed.

Kira sighed, shaking his head; he knew this was to get L, and even if he had to stoop to the dastardly level of a common criminal, he would do it to gain his L, his raven, back and hold him in his arms.

With that thought…Raito proceeded to knock on the door.

OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A/N: Oooh…what is Beyond going to show L? And will Raito find out new INFORMATION??? : O

We'll just have to wait and see! ^^ And I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, the fighting, the chaos, the….….touching of selves. XD It was so much fun to write! ^-^

Well, see you at the next chapter!! : DDD Oh, and if you haven't voted on that Bloody Kisses poll on my profile, this is your last chance! I'll be taking it down soon, to replace it with a new one about something else! So get your vote out people!


	11. Obsessions

A/n: : D Welcome back to the romantic, bloody and sad love tragedy that is Bloody Kisses, my lovely and loved readers! Thanks to all who left a review last time, and for all of the alerts and favs, it makes me extremely happy to know that this little baby is dearly loved. I hope you enjoy this chapter, there is great talk of murder in this one, a little bit of blood too, so I hope no one minds! XD And please, stick around to read my special author's note at the end, there is a little special something I would like to mention about an aspect of this chapter. Anyway, please enjoy! : )

_OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOoOoOOOOOooOooOOOOoOO_

_"Love sought is good, but giv'n unsought is better"_

_- Twelfth Night (Act III, Scene I)_

_OoOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooOOoOoOoOoOoOOooOOoOoOOOOOoOoOOO_

There was an eerie silence on the other side of the doorway, and it would have been quiet outside, but the damn Shinigami next to Raito could not hold in his diabolical laughter. The brunette tried again, knocking louder this time; waiting for those next few moments was excruciating, but it had to be done.

"..." Raito glanced at his beautiful watch from his father as the moments passed, and eventually he shook his handsome head, realizing no one was home.

"So, what'cha going do to now?" Ryuk cackled over the Yagami's shoulder, but the young man did not even respond, instead choosing to leave the porch of the apartment, and stare at the dwelling from the sidewalk.

The building itself was just a gray stone apartment, set on the first floor, with another apartment built on top of it on the second floor. There were other buildings situated nearby, only a few feet away, built in the exact same away, spread out down the block in the complex. Raito glanced around Bemouir's apartment from the exterior, searching for a back door, another entrance way, anything, but alas, there was nothing but windows.

"Hehehe…You gonna try a window, Raito?"

"Of course, what else can I do?"

"Isn't that breaking and entering, according to human law? That's illegal, isn't it?"

"...Sometimes exceptions to the law must be made, Ryuk. For the sake of justice, and the sake of Justice's happiness."

Kira continued to walk around the grassy yard, until eventually stopping at a window. Checking to see if it was unlocked, which, surprisingly, it was, the college student slowly lifted the glass barrier, and was thankful to find no screen blocking his way inside.

"Don't you think it's odd that a window is unlocked like that, Raito?"

"Not necessarily, Ryuk. This area is known for its lack of crime and it also has higher safety, mainly thanks to Kira's actions, so people probably leave windows, and I bet even doors, unlocked a lot."

"Oh, lucky you then? Hehehe...I'll see you inside." The Death God, smirking evilly, floated over to the outside wall, and ghosted right through the substance, heading inside; Raito grabbed onto the windowsill, but nearly lost his footing when he heard Ryuk start laughing hysterically.

_He must have found something…I better get in there…_

Raito held the window open with one hand, pushing off the ground and part of the house's wall, and swiftly jumped through the open glass pane; the college student nearly landed on his fancied bottom, but he quickly caught himself, coming to stand up right, brushing off his pants.

The room Kira found himself in was a small kitchen, and at first, nothing really stood out, but that was because sepia eyes were not focusing on the walls...but when they did...

"…AHHH!" Raito screamed in shock and this time, he did indeed fall to the ground, eyes wide in pure awe.

The entire kitchen wall was covered...in newspaper cutouts and a sticky substance, that looked old, but still had a faint odor to it.

With...An aroma...of jam? Strawberries…?

Raito stood up, sepia eyes flying all around the room's wall; the newspaper stretched from one end of the wall, all the way towards a door on the brunette's left, to the far right, were a broken fridge stood, its door ajar, hanging open. Empty jam jars filled the fridge, or at least from what Raito could tell. But his sepia eyes were not concerned with that at the moment, no, the chocolate orbs were locked onto the kitchen wall, eying every single piece of paper that the resident of this home had stuck to it, be it with glue, tacks, tape, and there was even some papers stuck to the wall with the jam.

A tan hand began to run itself over the papers as Raito took in the words:

_L's Latest Triumph: Australian Robbers Caught Within Twenty-Four Hours_

_Who IS L? Head U.N. Officials Try to Answer YOUR Questions!_

_Latest News: L Solves His Four Thousandth Case!_

_Murderer of Princess Marisol Caught By the Great L!_

_L: Shrouded in Mystery, Attracting Women? Real Opinions, Inside!_

And on and on…Every article was about L, each one spread out along the wall like some obsessive mural.

"Haha, Raito, come in here!" Ryuk called from another room down the hall; the brunette did not waste a moment, and headed down the small corridor, which was scarily in the same shape as the kitchen: covered with newspaper articles, some of these taken from the Internet, about the World's Greatest Detective. There was a higher quantity of jam here, with many a sticky hand print covering the wall.

Raito found himself in the living room very rapidly, Ryuk's golden, horror-filled eyes staring at one article in particular. For yes, this room was in the same type of style as the others, but much, much more detailed.

In essence…the room was a shrine built to L, and the young college student just gaped in awe at all four walls, and the ceiling, were covered with articles all about L, not just from newspapers, but hundreds of magazines, the Internet, even some school and local newspapers. Jam was splattered everywhere, but Raito noticed, scarily, that blood too decorated the room, and Kira felt a pang of fear strike him, as he wondered where the blood actually came from. Not an inch of wall was spared, all was covered with an L-type piece of information.

But what was most frightening to Raito was what lied above the old fireplace, which was covered in dust. It was a giant painting, consisting of only two items. A snow-white background and a giant Gothic letter L; but the L was not just a regular L, it was painted in the exact same way of L's classic symbol, with intricate swirls and a beautiful design. The likeness was so scary, it made Raito blink, as if to make sure he was seeing it correctly. The painting was hanging in a gold frame that looked as if it had not been cared for in weeks, dust conglomerating on it. A set of four candles were underneath the artwork, two a cherry red, the other pair a midnight black.

"My, my, Raito…someone else really loves your little L, doesn't he?" The Death God cackled, twisting his body in excitement, his eyes still staring at that article, the contents of it still unknown to Raito.

"…What are you looking at?" There was wariness in the young human's voice, and it internally made Ryuk laugh. Oh, how the Shinigami could sense primordial fear in the weak mortals, it was always quite charming. Especially with Raito, who never showed that sort of emotion whatsoever. But as the lanky apparition gazed at the owner of his Death Note, he knew Raito would be feeling more fear in the coming days.

"You might want to read this article in particular, it's quite interesting…Hehehehehe."

The brunette came to stand next to the other, russet eyes peering at the print, they widening a moment later:

_Bantini Bemouir: Highly Respected Man Vanishes in England, Thought to be Dead._

"…" Raito spoke not a word, his eyes glued to the words, his mind re-reading it multiple times, trying to fully grasp the concept in front of him, "He's...dead?"

"Yep, dead as a doornail, Raito. I can't see a name or lifespan in that photograph of him, so he's gone." Ryuk wheezed, and the instant Raito heard that, a piece of information, a memory, came into his mind.

_This guy died in England…And L……!!_

_"Don't worry Light, I used to be the British Junior Champion." The raven had stated at the tennis match days ago…_

_"So you grew up in England?"_

_"I lived in England for about five years. But please relax; it's impossible to figure out L's identity from that fact."_

_Impossible L…?_

_Are you sure…?_

…_Because someone figured it out, apparently…at least enough to where they had the chance to kidnap you, and loves you enough to build a shrine of you in another man's home, murder said man to take the home…_

…_Or…_

_This man KNOWS L…from…from…_

_"I lived in England for about five years…"_

_"Five years…"_

_"Years."_

The wonder, shock and fear must have been easy to read on Raito's face, for Ryuk laughed heartily,

"My, my you think this kidnapper knows your little L well, don't you? I can just tell."

"...He…He probably does. Five years in England, who knows how many enemies he made?"

"And this…Beyond Birthday, that's the name, right? He probably did his research, Raito. Enough to where-"

"Enough to where he could find this man...and set up residence here. He might have even known of L's location, his whereabouts of being in Japan, as well."

"Kyhukhukhuk...There is a great possibility of that, yes. I remember your little detective friend going on about England before, and with that e-mail…I bet your L has connections there, Raito."

"Yeah, but it wouldn't do me any good," The brunette retorted, "It's not like I can just fly to England, Ryuk. I need to stick here, work with what I got here. And I can't ask Watari any more without looking suspicious." Raito paused, his orbs gazing around the room as Ryuk went into the upper left corner of the room, gazing at what seemed to be a broken painting of, most likely, the late Bantini Bemouir. "Say Ryuk…why…why are you so interested in all of this?"

"Hmm?"

"You state you are not on my side, yet you give me your opinion on this, saying the man might have done research, might have connections to L…why?"

"…" The Shinigami spoke not a word, but instead laughed his throaty laugh, it echoing off the small home's walls, "Oh, Raito, it just interests me, that's all…"

_You'll find out the other reasons I'm so interested in all of this Raito Yagami…Yes, it interests me, and I want to see who will win__** this**__ battle, but…_

_I __**see **__other reasons that cause me to be greatly into this situation…Hehehehehe…_

Raito did not fall into what the Death God was speaking, he was still wary of Ryuk's actions. But the college student also knew that there was not a chance in Heaven or Hell that the lanky demon-creature would let out any more information, Raito would just have to wait and see.

"So, what now, Kira-boy?"

"…" Raito took in the sights again, glancing to see if there was anything, anything at all that could help; there had to be some piece of evidence here that would help the young man, and lead him closer to his L. There was very little information that even looked relevant; all of the newspapers were just about L's former cases.

Until Raito spied a poster for...New York.

"…What is...?" The handsome man stepped closer to the east wall, and pealed away an article or two, to reveal indeed a colorful picture of Times Square, alight at the beautiful nighttime.

"…I think I know where to look next, Ryuk." The brunette reached into his pants pocket, pulling out the e-mail he had received.

_'Bernard Buchwald'…He lives, or lived, in New York…Perhaps this Beyond Birthday was there before he came to Japan? It is a great possibility…And it could be my next lead, even if it isn't a great one, all I can do is try._

Before Raito could explain to his deathly companion, shouts echoed outside the house.

"That's right, officer, I thought I saw a man go in there!" A aged masculine voice shouted, "You HAVE to look!"

"Sir, that house has been empty for months-"

"But-!!"

"I think you better run, Raito…" Ryuk chuckled, vaporizing through the wall to the outside, and indeed, the Yagami did run back to the kitchen window, jumping out hurriedly, the New York poster in hand.

The young man figured he would not be able to come back to the home for some time, if people were already starting to be suspicious…but secretly, he did not mind.

The man, Beyond Birthday's, obsession with L was now downright chilling, seeping into his bone with a maddening fright and fear. When Raito had just learned of this Beyond, and heard how badly he was obsessing over the raven, the brunette was quite scared, but now…after today…

The fright was quite maddening.

OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**Beyond's Warehouse, 9:30 A.M.**

oOOOOOOOOOooOOoOOOoOoOoOOoOOoOOoOOOOOoOOoOOOOOOoOOO

Pounding bare footsteps sounded out through the dank warehouse hall as B tugged his Lawli-pop along, grinning like a child at Christmas, the chain between them clinking like silver bells.

"W-Will you tell me WHERE we are going, Beyond?"

"But LAWLI," Beyond whined, "That would ruin the surprise, silly!"

"Haven't I had enough surprises in the past few days to last me a lifetime?" The raven groaned, shaking his head, and BB only returned it with a, "Nope!", still having that silly grin on his face.

The duo finally came to a door, right after B stopped on a dime, L running into him with"Oof!"

"We're here, Lawli-Lawli." The jam-lover stuck his hand into his deep pockets, fishing around for an object; the younger one eventually pulled out a set of copper keys, and after his garnet eyes gazed at each one, a bony finger plucked a key with the number two on it, and fiddled with the lock on the door. Lawliet noticed the door, a brass barrier, was also labeled with the same exact number, and it made the detective wonder exactly how many rooms were in the place.

The entry creaked open as the killer pushed the door, and soft sounds emanated from the room, which was blanketed in darkness; L thought them to be synonymous of that of a small animal, perhaps…No, B would not have** that** here, would he…?

"Yeah, yeah, I'm here, you can stop crying now." Beyond spoke softly, his hand immediately going to a light switch, as if he had always known it to be there.

A golden, fluorescent light hummed and shone in the room, and finally, the noises got louder, causing L to turn his head to the center of the room, and the insomniac nearly gasped at the sight.

A tiny puppy was barking in a small crate, yelping joyously at the sight of BB, a grin on its face. Shiny brown eyes sparkled like starlight, and it began running around the cage, happy to finally see a human. Its fur was mainly black, the midnight hue stretching from the tail, except the tip, which was snow white, to the dog's head, near the beast's eyes. Its nose was also dark ebony, but the muzzle a snow white, along with the fur on the dog's front chest, and the tips of its paws. The dog's short legs, at the moment, were a brown, along with its cheeks. It was a beautiful dog, full of life, and L wondered exactly how it got here.

"C'mon, L, come closer, she won't bite." B was already situated in front of the crate, smiling, and the older detective came to crouch beside him.

"A…dog? A dog, Beyond?"

"Yes. I found her awhile ago, no collar, no identification, nothing! Poor thing, I felt so bad for her. So, I just decided to take her in."

"You…with a dog is hard to picture, Beyond. Especially a puppy such as this one."

The killer pouted at L, and even childishly stuck out his tongue, "You seem to have forgotten, dear Lawli, that I had to live on the streets for a great deal of time after I ran away from Wammy's. So I have sympathy for the abandoned; I even take care of some stray cats that wander around here too."

"..." L just stared in awe as the jam-lover opened the door, the dog immediately running to B, jumping into his lap, licking his face as the killer laughed, holding the creature tightly, but gently, "What…is its name?"

"Eh? Oh, I call her Casey. It's more of an Irish name, but I named her that because I found her near a shop here called Casey's deli."

"…" Lawliet was somewhat nervous around the animal, the man had always been tense around animals and creatures, but he had to try to be brave; this was, this moment…it was a type of bonding for himself and Beyond, in a way. The young copy had taken L here, blissfully, wanting to show him this animal, and that reason alone was why L reached out a bony hand, letting it pet Casey softly.

The animal blinked in surprise, but its tail was wagging rapidly, and it even gave an encouraging yelp in L's direction.

"Aw, Lawli, she likes you…"

"I'm just…a little-"

"Psh, even I can see you're nervous, but you never got into any close contact with animals, did you?"

"…We once had hamsters at Wammy's, when I was younger, but they passed away, and I did not, and could not, spend too much time with them."

"'Cause stupid Watari made you study too hard…" B muttered to himself as he seated his body in Indian-style sitting, Casey curled up on his lap.

"It was not that he made me study, I wanted to do it too; but I found out I could not have all that I wanted, and my studies had to come first, since I wanted to be a detective so badly."

"…He still should have given you more freedom, though, L. It just…it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair for you, it wasn't fair for us. And you never did anything about it." The killer grumbled, and L, who crouched beside him, let out a sigh.

"I know I did not do a thing there, and I should have. Watari and Roger mean well, they really do, Beyond."

"Still…" B just shook his head, "I just…They should have been better, L…And L?"

"Yes?"

"…" B stopped, his garnet orbs shining in fear, and Lawliet grasped the concept of thinking that this question was to be a big and important one, "…Will you fix all of that when you leave here? Will you go and talk to Watari and Roger, make things better? I know, you're right, it's better now, but…they still could do better Lawli, and you know it. So, will you?"

Ebony orbs had widened, blinking as well, but after a silent moment, which truly did feel like an hour to Beyond Birthday, L nodded, "Yes, I will. When shall that be, Beyond? When will you let me leave?"

A sad mix of a pout and a smile graced B's face, and he shook his head, "I don't know. Some day. Maybe soon, maybe not, maybe never…no, I can't say never. Keeping you here forever is just a silly, stupid whim I did have before…" B paused, and the killer subtly glanced at the numbers floating over Lawliet's head, internally groaning, "But now I know that I can't keep you here forever. It just…it would never work."

"What do you seek, Beyond?"

"…W-What?"

"Out of keeping me here, what do you seek?" L interrogated kindly.

_Your love…_

But B could not spout that out loud, for Lawliet would just laugh, or at least not believe him. Frankly, Beyond did not believe himself at some points during this time, but that was understandable. But as the hours dragged on, the sun setting and rising, bringing new days, B knew he could not hide the truth anymore:

He wanted, He sought, and He would fight for L's love.

But he could not force L to love him; that was what his younger apparition had advised him days ago in another hall of the warehouse.

But seeking L's love wasn't the only main goal here, no, far from it.

Beyond needed to protect his Lawliet, protect him from the dangers, and…

…Protect him from Kira…

But love…seeking love is difficult, B knew that, and it was hard…

Perhaps he could not actually hunt for L's love, but more or less let it come to him? It was worth a shot. Indeed, Beyond Birthday still sought it, but the killer knew he could not push for it, only pray, only hope, only keep the faith alive, but he would let the love come to him, not push, not pull, not tug it towards him. L would come to love him, he had to. B was trying so hard, caring so much, loving him, being kind, and trying to mend the burnt bridges.

But one cannot push another to love them…they may seek it, may treasure it, but one cannot control it to happen, my dear friends.

"...I…" B started to speak after a moment of intense staring coming from the raven, "I seek many things, I suppose. All of which I can not tell you at this time, but if you think, you may guess, perhaps?"

"…" L said nothing, choosing instead to now focus on the dog in Beyond's lap, reaching out to pet the canine behind the ears, scratching gently, making the black and white tail wag even faster.

There was silence among the men for some time, somewhat full of tension, somewhat calming. The puppy yelped on and off, its eyes shining fully on Beyond, once and a while flipping over to Lawliet.

"What were they like? The streets, I mean…" The detective was the one to break the silence, wine-colored eyes staring at the pallid man chained next to him.

"…They were dismal…cold…what you hear about in stories is what they are most like, actually. For awhile, I had to live under abandoned roofs, in boxes, whatever I could find. This was after I ran away from Wammy's, when I was eleven. I stayed on the streets, in London, in England, in Europe, for years."

"How come we never found you?"

"I hid well, L." B stated bluntly, "I traveled around too. Hijacked trains, cars, whatever I could. I didn't have really much money, though, so I lived in empty places, in parks, plotting all the while."

"…The LABB murders…" It was a statement, not a question.

"Yes, those, and other murders…Crushing someone takes time and effort, Lawli."

"…"

Beyond could sense the trepidation coming from the older man; B was describing how he had wanted to destroy him, why, was that not a reason to be a little fearful? "…I-I am not sure if I should be telling you all of this, maybe-"

"Go on…Tell me."

"?!...L…I…I did some things that you probably shouldn't hear about. You put criminals away, I'm a criminal, not to mention what I did was gory, bloody, treacherous-?!"

L slapped a bony hand over the killer's mouth, silencing him effectively and efficiently.

"You want to get to know myself better, right? Is that not what you want, Beyond?"

"…" The jam-lover nodded, and the older man removed his hand, "Okay, but you have to promise not to be too scared, okay? And if it is too graphic, you have to tell me to stop okay?"

"Fine, but Beyond, I have a strong stomach and heart, I can take it."

"…It all began when I planned for you to be crushed, hence the LABB murders. You know all about that, though, so I don't need to go into details about them. You know I wanted to obliterate you, annihilate you, humiliate you. Make L look like a fool. But when you locked me up, that just spurned my revenge more. I didn't want to kill you at first, but after that I did. No matter what, I wanted you gone, that's it. I thought you had taken all from me, and I had lost all, so why not? I was hated at Wammy's, I thought you despised me, A was dead, my parents had never loved me, and so what was there to risk? Nothing. I went to great lengths and concocted great plans to kill you, but…they are not important to say at this point."

"…In what ways did…you plan to kill me?" It was the question that was so obviously on Lawliet's mind, but it was the one he feared to ask B the most.

"NO!" B's sudden action of jumping up, Casey hopping out of his lap fast like a bunny, shocked the raven, "N-NO! I am not telling you that!"

_I can't tell you…I just CAN'T…_

_You'll hate me, Lawliet…_

_Yes, you should know all you can about me; it gives me a greater chance for you to love me…but this subject…_

L got to his feet just as BB did, inching closer to him, stating in a soft, but firm voice, "Tell me."

"NO! I won't tell you!" The jam-lover backed up; internally shivering at the closeness of the man he loved, along with the question that kept being repeated from Lawli's lips.

"B...just tell me. I want to know how you wanted to kill me."

"NO STOP IT!" B had backed up even more, L following like a prowling lion, but eventually the back of the wall hit the younger man's back, his garnet eyes shimmering with hurt and sadness, "I-I WON'T! W-WHY do you even WANT to know?!"

"Because I do. Tell me, please."

"NO! You'll hate me even more! I-If you hear all of the horrible plans I had, and, and-"

L slammed his hands on both sides of B's face, astonishing the copy.

_God, he's getting braver…he's getting his strength back, little by little…_

_While I lose all of my control…_

"Just tell me…" L ordered in a whisper, B only replying with a heart-shattering whine that even made the nearby puppy whimper in sadness at the sound.

"N-NO! I-I can't!"

"Beyond, just-!!"

B did the only thing to shut L up, and that was grabbing those pallid cheeks, crashing snow-white-like lips onto his own red lips, kissing the raven heatedly; Lawliet could do nothing but freeze like a marble statue, ebony orbs as round and wide as saucers, focused on nothing, somewhat glazed as B's tongue forced itself into his mouth, tasting him, drinking him in.

And then…L kissed back…

The movement was slight, barely noticeable, but Beyond could feel Lawliet's lips moving underneath his, he could truly feel the blissful sensation.

The raven's body was shaking though, his nerves and nightmares still haunting him, but he wasn't pushing B away…why?

_Is it because he told me of his past…how that man…r-raped him…?_

_L, please, don't stop…let me in more…a-and…_

_K-Kiss me more…_

B slowed his lips movements, deciding not to be too forceful, figuring it was the best, and it turned out to be the best; Lawliet was still nervous, his lithe frame shaking, but the jam-obsessed copy held onto him tightly; those dark, mysterious charcoal eyes were half-lidded, and it was true L was enjoying the kiss to great extent, which the older man thought to be quite mysterious, but those eyes, though they were absorbed in pleasure, saw tiny tear drops begin to fall and drip down Beyond's cheeks, and it was he who broke away, and when those sets of lips parted, words pitter-pattered from B's mouth.

"Why-Why? Why do you want to know how I thought of stabbing your body until you bled to your death, and then the next moment, I would touch myself to your image in my mind? Why do you want to know that I thought of cutting off your body's appendages, severing them while you were under no anesthesia, so you would feel every cut, even slice, every dice, even cackle that echoed from my lips? Why do you wish to know of how I imagined poisoning you, perhaps in your food, drink, or even just as a gas, or perhaps with my own handmade deadly concoctions that I tested out on people in Germany, France, and even in New York? Why do you wish to know of how I thought that I would cut off your skin, shave away your hair, make you unrecognizable for the coroners!? WHY, in God's name, do you wish to find out that I had the idea to rape you, cut out your organs, and drink your blood like some demented VAMPIRE?! All you SHOULD have to know is that I chose THIS route! Bring you here, rape you, break you, torture you, and THEN plan to kill you, but I changed my mind! WHY L? WHY did you make me reveal all of that, WHY did you need to know?! Do you STILL not think of me as a psychopath? Any sane person would! I had hundreds of ideas for your death in mind! I thought of them while I was in the jail-slash-asylum, when I was committing the LABB murders, for YEARS! I was obsessed with seeing you bleed, obsessed with seeing you DIE! But I LOVED you, and I STIL do! W-What does that make me!? Am I monster?! Am I a monster…t-to you…?" B finally stopped, taking deep breathes, all the while the sweets-lover looked on with awe, but…

There was not a drop of fear in his eyes…

Not a single ounce of fear in L Lawliet's beautiful orbs…

"..W-Why are you looking at me like that?" The killer choked out, his legs finally giving out, his frail body plummeting to the floor; thankfully, the man just landed on his knees, for L had reached out and caught him.

"…Like what?"

"Like I'm still human." The younger man whispered, peering up into L's eyes, tears still swimming in them.

"Because you are, why do you not think you're human?"

"…You just heard why!" The copy sniffed, and became thunderstruck when a bony arm encircled his shoulders, holding him close. L was holding him…**L**.

"I still think of you as a human."

"W-Why?!"

"…That…Well, actually, I do not know why. But I do Beyond."

"…But I-"

"You were not the only person to want me dead, hundreds did. And many still do."

"…K-Kira…" BB's voice croaked out, and L nodded.

"Yes, that is one…"

"…" Beyond neither moved nor looked at the other, instead choosing to wipe his eyes, chasing away the remaining tears like one would a nightmare haunting their sleep; sweeping them away, washing them away, trying to erase the memory of ever having it, or ever crying, "Lawli…"

"Yes?"

"….Why did you want to know all of that so badly?"

"Because."

"…That's not a reason." B lifted his face, staring at L, pouting like a sour schoolchild.

"To me it is." Was all that L replied with, owl-like eyes blinking, "Why, should there be a better reason?"

"…YES!" B shouted with a mixture of anger and frustration, "Of COURSE you should have a better reason than THAT!"

"Well…I was curious. Besides! YOU were the one who wants ME to open up, right Beyond!?"

"Well…uh….h-how did you even detect that-"

"Aha, so you do admit it?"

"YEAH, duh! B-But that doesn't explain why YOU-"

"Well, if I should open up to you, why shouldn't you open up to me?"

"…You bastard. Making me say all of that just to sate your curiosity and to make me open up. Wait…why are you so concerned about making me open up!? Huh?" B pouted even more, his eyes peering, getting a little smaller, as they gazed at the other.

L said nothing, his gaze flashing from that of surprise to neutrality in record time, turning his head away as if he wished to hide an expression.

"L…speak." The jam-lover poked L's arm over and over again, annoyingly, so much so Lawliet swatted away the hand; but that did not last long, for B went at it again, "Tell me. I told you, now you tell me."

"NO."

"…Fine." B gave up, huffing, realizing stupidly a moment later that he should have continued, for L himself had pushed Beyond, so why shouldn't the killer not do the same?

The men were silent, the whole room was silent, all except for Casey, who yelped on and off again, sometimes jumping up to gaze at the window situated in the room. It wasn't until L's stomach growled that B spoke up.

"You hungry?"

"…Yes. Do you have anything?"

"…"

"B…"

"What?"

L unleashed a sigh, "Why didn't you respond right away?"

The copy shrugged, not saying anything.

"You will feed me, right?"

"Of course! Do I look like some heartless maniac to you!?"

"…" L chose, teasingly, not to respond, and B let out a small growl, pushing L onto his side, "Hey…was that necessary?"

"Yes. Now get up, we're going out. We need more food here, and so does Casey. And I want to get milk for the stray cats."

"You and cats…"

"What about me and cats!?"

"…I remember…" L smiled a wistful smile, "Watari told me once you used to purr in your sleep, do you still do that? And I think…during my earlier days here…I heard you purr…so…"

BB's eyes went extensively large, his mouth dropping open, his face turning a bright shade of vermilion before he could squash the blush from appearing at all, "I-I don't know what you're speaking of Lawli-CHAN."

"I think you do…Biyondi-chan." The grin on Lawliet's face made B gasp, shocked that L even had the gall, nerve, and courage to tease him like so.

"S-Stop it! Now shut up and come on!"

The killer tugged L up from his seat which had been next to B, and the once-greatly bloody hands picked up the still excited puppy, putting her back in the crate.

"Where are we going NOW?"

"To get food, silly, and if you call me Biyondi-chan again, I'll find a way to harm you."

"Oh, but I thought you enjoyed it…Biyon-"

"Shut UP. Why do** I** get a stupid girly nickname? I don't, I don't need one. I'M a dominating top."

L just rolled his eyes, continuing on, "Out? To get food? You have money, then."

"…No."

"Beyond!"

"Wha? I don't! So we're going to take some."

"…"

"Well, you DO want to eat, right, Lawli-pop?"

"….Fine."

"Not like you have a choice anyway, you have to come." With this, B jingled the chain connecting the men to each other, "I'm not letting you go…"

"Let's just get this over with. I'm surprised you're even letting me go out."

"People won't recognize you, no one but Watari and a few people know what you look like…right?"

"…Right…" L replied softly, knowing that perhaps, he could get lucky, if the Gods were on his side, and maybe someone from the Japanese Task Force could see him? It was deemed highly unlikely though, for L hypothesized that the duo was far from the Kanto region. But maybe…Raito…?

"Let's GO, L!" B was staring at the man, still standing in the doorway of the room, his thin arms crossed, a pout on his lips, "Come on already!"

L moved slowly, his eyes trailing towards the dog in the crate, who was gazing at him…in a surprising way…almost as if…

The dog was laughing at him…not completely mocking him…but as if Casey knew a secret that L knew…as if she could read the detective's thoughts…

For L was thinking of what B had said before…about being so concerned with the men opening up to each other…

L thought of a reason why that could be…which could apply to the reason why he had not pushed Beyond away during that intrusive (Heavenly and lovely) kiss before…

…But the reason, the answer to the "why" was scary…

It shook Lawliet to his core, made him doubt it the moment the answer grew in his head…

It was preposterous…

It was stupid…

It was idiotic…

It made no sense…

It was something a child or high school woman would think of…

NOT something a logical, clear-thinker such as L Lawliet would believe in…

It was like fairies from a storybook: All could read of them, but few would believe in them…

But L kept that reason in his head…locking it away as Beyond shoved a hooded sweatshirt in his direction, telling him to put it on as a disguise, just in case, and to put the hood up.

The older man secured that reason in his mind…the reason for his actions…

The reason for staying here when he had had the chance to flee days ago…

The reason for opening up to Beyond in the shower, and in general…

But he would not speak it aloud…at least not yet…

Not until the World's Greatest Detective was sure he was falling in love.

OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A/N: WOOOWEE I did love writing this chapter. : D Lots of emotion, lots of angst and tears, and I loved writing that kissing scene.

Anyway, any of you wondering about that dog? Well, she's special, actually. I did have a dog just pass away due to cancer, which was named Casey. She was my best friend for years, for about ten, and I'll never forget her, and shall always love her. So, I wanted to immortalize her here, for all of time, for as long as this story is alive, which I hope is as long as possible. So, I hope you enjoyed her appearance, and Casey may pop up again, we'll just have to see. ^^

So: Comments, questions, concerns, but NO flames? Just leave a review! ;D

And I'll see you at the next chapter! Bye! 8D


	12. Thievery

A/n: Welcome back to the Bloody Tale! ^^ Thanks for All of the kind reviews; they all help me to keep going. ;D And thanks so much for the favs, alerts and critique, it means so much to me. Well, let's continue, shall we? : D

_OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoo_

_"Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind; _

_The thief doth fear each bush an officer"._

_King Henry IV, Part III, - (Act V, Scene VI)._

_OoOoOOOOoOOooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO_

L was not sure which annoyed him more: The rain pouring down from the Heavens, the coldness and darkness of the alleys he and B were slipping down and traversing through, or the killer himself, who kept giving him haughty looks due to Lawliet walking so slow and warily.

"Could you WALK any SLOWER?" Beyond hissed as he dragged the other man whom he was chained to down a small alley, "Jeez, with your behavior, you'd think we were going to commit a murder or something, Lawli…" The grin on the killer's face was all too eerie, along with the teasing chuckle that escaped his lips.

"..." L pouted, pulling the hood over his face more, "I hate that we're doing this, you know."

"YOU are the hungry one, right? I'm sure I could go days without food." B crosses his arms after tugging L closer, the raven complying, now settling for walking next to the other.

"Oh? And your addiction to jam **clearly **shows that." There was a smug smile on L's face, and it made B not only flush with embarrassment, but pout at the cockiness of it.

"Oh, ha-ha. Just because of what you heard while you were at Wammy's is true, doesn't mean it's ALWAYS true, Lawli-POP." B stuck out his tongue immaturely, and L, shockingly, found himself letting out a chuckle.

"So you say…but I noticed all those empty jam jars in the warehouse. In your room, in the halls…so you're still not addicted? You can last for days without your precious jam?"

"…Shut up before I throw you into a puddle, you cocky bastard."

_God, he's back…he is finally coming back…The L I knew…_

_He's still not there, but his attitude is changing…Is it all because of me…?_

_So keep talking Lawliet…! Keep coming back…and maybe…Now that I tore down all your walls…made you vulnerable and broken…I…_

_I can repair you…make you a new human…make you better…change your outlooks…make you happier…_

_And keep you safe…_

_Maybe I can-_

"Think you could?" L had been silent for a few moments, and then the raven's soft words had broken BB's thoughtful reverie.

"Hehehe…" B could not help the smug chuckle, and with a mildly rough push, L nearly went falling into a small puddle…until Beyond's hand had been quickly grabbed by Lawliet, twisting the killer around so it was he who fell into the water with a yelp of shock; unfortunately, L had not thought of the chain, and the metal became twisted around both bodies and both sets of arms, sending L flying just as well, with a "Agh!", his lanky body landing right on top of B's.

"…Everything just has to be complicated with you, eh L?"

"…You're the one who wanted to push me into a puddle…" L pouted, and the other found himself laughing out loud in the dank alley, happier than he had ever laughed in a long while.

"I suppose…" Beyond could not help but enjoy the feeling of the detective on top of him, though the chain was wrapped around them; L's body was warm even in the rain, even if the man looked to be skinny enough to snap like a twig with the slightest hit or shove. "…Alright, get off, or we'll never get there."

"…I can't."

"What?!"

"Beyond, the chain-"

"Dammit…Okay, just sit up or something?" B huffed, and L complied, trying to, but he did not get far, only sitting up somewhat, for the chain had wound itself around the insomniac's back, and had twisted around his right arm.

L let out a frustrated growl, and the younger man underneath him softly chuckled; even though the raven returned the sound with a snooty pout, Beyond just let it pass, for seeing L frustrated was…cute. There was no other way to describe it.

"Perhaps if Beyond moves his left arm…" L's brain must have kicked in more, for a bony, mostly-free left hand grabbed the jam-lover's arm, lifting it up, "Hmm…"

"L, if you have an idea, just do it-EEP!" B did not know what he had felt, but he could have sworn it was synonymous to a hand ghosting over his nether regions; that could explain the slight blush creeping up on his face, yes?

"Hang on, hang on…" The raven grumbled, while Beyond's eyes went wide as L's hands went to work on untangling the chain, bony appendages rapidly moving around B, to his back, his arms, and even in areas where the young killer was sensitive, including his thighs. And that **had** to have been L's hand near his groin a few moments before, but of course Lawliet would not have heard that "eep" or would have just brushed it off, for his was L, the tactless man who knew nothing of anything dealing with sensitive skin or sexuality.

"Alright, I freed your arms, now help me get the rest of this off of me…And do you think you shall be using these handcuffs anymore?"

"Of course. I don't want you running away on me…" B murmured, sitting up, and began to unwind the chain from his companion's back and arm, "I still…have a lot to show you…" He whispered softly in L's ear, and once the handcuffs were finally adjusted, he lent in and gave a kiss on the small ear, smiling around the shell of the ear, grinning at the fact that L had shivered slightly, but had not pushed him away.

The killer tugged his captive up, whining when he realized he had gotten fairly soaked due to the puddle, L only stating, "It is only water, Beyond."

"…Grr…S-Shut up. I hate being wet when I don't have to be." The duo had started walking again, down the alley leading to the grocery store B had stated they would be going to.

"…Just like a cat…" L murmured nearly mutely, coming to walk next to the other.

"Like WHAT?!" B yelled, his face red with anger and embarrassment, dammit did L **really** find him to be greatly like a cat?!

"Oh, nothing, nothing at all."

"Nothing is ever 'nothing' when it comes to you, Lawliet."

"What do you mean? There are things that are, or mean, nothing to me."

"Psh," B scoffed, "Like what?"

"Hmm…green beans."

"...Excuse me?"

"Green beans mean nothing to me, Beyond. I hate them."

"…" _My God, I'm in love with an insane, bizarre detective…who despises…green beans?_

"I also hate radishes, burnt rice, and the smell of cat litter-"

"How about something that's human, Lawli…"

"Oh?" L's owl-stare turned on B, "Like…what?"

"Well, what humans mean nothing to you?"

"…" Lawliet put a finger to his mouth, eyes darting up to the sky that was still crying raindrops, "…I don't know if there is any certain human who means nothing to me. I hate how humanity in general behaves…But even criminals mean something to me, for it is my job to put them away. But there are humans who I greatly ignore or feel nothing for, such as those who do not use their intelligence how they should, act ignorant, judging…those sorts of people. But I have made it so I am not affected by those who judge me, or L. Mainly by not showing my face in public, but there's other ways."

"So you don't show your face because...it helps you not to feel judged?"

"Along with that, I feel safe."

"…L…" B trailed off, trying to find the right words to say.

"Yes?"

"I just…I understand L wanting to stay in hiding to protect himself, I heartily encourage that. But…you hide because you don't want to feel judge? Isn't that...sort of cowardly?"

"…" The flash of hurt that passed through ebony orbs was quick and fleeting, but B had caught it, and the guilt stung his heart like a razor, "I…I am a coward." Was all L stated, but Beyond retorted with,

"NO! Lawli, I-"

"You're right, I do hide because I do not wish to be judge, but I have all of the walls around my heart as well…over time, I have come to not care what they think, but yes, I still do sometimes. Deep down, I do. And that is another reason why I hide. But it is mainly for safety that I hide in the shadows and away from others, remember that."

"…Of course, of course…" B tried to convey compassion in his voice, something he had to do, and had not done in years. "Lawli, you're not a coward. Look at you now...acting so brave while changed to a psychopathic killer…Heh…I bet Wammy would be proud of you."

"…" L remained silent, shrugging his bony shoulders, and finally, the side of the grocery appeared in his view.

_No, Beyond, Watari would not be proud of me…_

_If he knew what I was feeling…what I felt a little while ago……_

"Okay, we'll go in the front way, grab food sneak around to the window on the other side of the building and hightail it out of there, got it?" Beyond spoke softly, relaying his plan to the other, who simply nodded in return.

The grocery was small, compared to the ones L had seen in the Kanto region, but it sufficed for this small area, but as Lawliet looked around, he could not gather and give the area a name. B had stated it was far from the Kanto region, and when L glanced around, he believed his copy. They seemed to be in some sort of fishing and warehouse district, the scents of fish and water were strong and pungent in the air; few people were walking around, though there was quite a collection of stores spread out sometimes, but the amount of people was probably due to the rain in the late June season, the springtime aura beginning to take in some summer hues.

The store itself was a metal building, with a flashing neon sign in Japanese on the front, and some smaller advertisements on the windows, stating sales of all sorts, along with colorful cartoon characters to attract even younglings. No one paid them any heed as Beyond led his chained lover into the store, both of them keeping their heads down, trying not to attract eyes. B did not know why, but he reached out and took Lawliet's hand, holding it gently; maybe Beyond feared someone would take his raven away from him, even though that was impossible at the moment due to the binding chains. Or was it just B's neurotics, his fears, his burning passions in his heart making his mind act jumpy and nervous?

Whatever the case, he led L to the back of the store, to the fresh vegetable area of the store.

"What are we doing here?" The raven spoke softly as B's ruby-gaze observed the vegetables, eyeing which ones would be the best to pick and take.

"You mean this aisle? What, did you think I could only live on jam for the rest of my life?" The killer let out a soft chuckle, and continued to whisper, "You'll be eating them too. Have you seen how thin you are…sweetheart?" The bony hand that ruffled L's hair made him pout, and roll his eyes.

"…Fine. I'll eat SOME of them. I do not want another fight."

Beyond had already taken to putting two carrots in the pocket of his hooded sweatshirt when no other human was nearby, "Dually noted, Lawli." A long celery stalk was shoved into the killer's jeans pocket, and rapidly, he shoved a tomato into L's sweatshirt's pocket.

"…This is unsanitary!" L whispered, "I shall not be eating a carrot that has been in your pocket Beyond!"

"Psh, this is coming from the man who walks around with bare feet and who looks like he rarely changes his outfit?" That sadistic grin…L wished he could have slapped it away, but could only pout as B led him away, into another aisle.

A few young children caught L's gaze as they traversed the store, a little blonde girl catching his eye in particular, blinking at the sight of a hooded man running by her, with a chain connecting him to another. Lawliet figured only his eyes were truly visible from the girl's angle, for the child shouted at her nearby mother, "Momma, that big man with dark eyes is chained!" the woman only replying, "That's nice dear.", brushing off her daughter's comment as childish dribble.

"You always attract attention, don't you?" B snickered as the duo turned down an aisle, this one was filled with a variety of preservatives, including a massive display of jam, of all sorts of flavors, along with a plentiful supply of jelly as well.

"…Well, I wonder what we are going to take here…" L mumbled sarcastically under his breath as B's eyes, like always, sparkled with childish wonder at the jam jars, and when the killer led him to the display, beginning to browse the different flavors, all Lawliet could do was stand and watch, only commenting with, "So...if we are buying jam, then we shall be buying cakes, yes? Pastries? Cookies?"

"Hnn…" B let out as he picked up a strawberry jam jar, "We already have a package of chocolate chip cookies back at the…house, and a small cake too, we don't need anything else. Ooh…they have boysenberry, Lawli; the store hasn't had that in stock in ages!"

"…" L remained quiet, but that did nothing to prevent the pout forming on his lips; B, astute as ever, could sense a change in the atmosphere of the duo, and he turned to the detective,

"What's the face for?"

"…Why do you get to have that, and I cannot-"

"L," Beyond sighed, "We are not going to get into another fight about food again, are we?"

"Well, I do not know, maybe if I get a type of food that I actually want?"

B slyly slid a jam jar into his pocket, a small strawberry one, and then curtly stood up straight, turning to the other.

"Oh, boy…Lawli's going on another "All about ME" phase, isn't he?"

"What does that mean?" L spat, coming closer to the other, his voice rising a notch.

"You're always going on about yourself, what about what** I** want?! Maybe I want a jar of jam, since we're all out, while YOUR cookies and cake are still at home! Stop being so selfish, Lawli!" The killer gathered up his nerve, and poked the older male in the chest, "I'm being nice and I already said that I would share those sweets at home with you, do you ever go by the maxim, enough is enough?!"

"Share? YOU? Please! Sharing and you are two things I would not put together Beyond! When did you ever share anything with another, it does not have to even be ME, can you tell me that?!"

Beyond growled, "Oh, have I not shared with you? How about…my food? My place, that is not on the streets?" The killer stepped closer, whispering menacingly, "I opened up to you, L, did I not? What more do you want from me?"

"You have seem to forgotten that I was dragged to your "not on the streets" place against my damn will," L retorted quietly, "And how about a little more sharing? I never did get that cake before."

"Is this REALLY about the damn cake!?" B shouted, people beginning to come into the aisle now to stare at the loud men, chained together, the spectacle unfolding right in front of many, "Honestly, you must be the most selfish and egotistical bastard, and perfectionist, that I have ever met! If everything seems to be going fine, the wonderful Lawli has to find something that irks him and gets the need to bring it up!"

"Fine? FINE!? Is our situation really FINE to you!? Think about it Beyond!"

"…It seemed fine for awhile…Do you HAVE to remind me that it is not!?"

_Don't remind me how I hurt you…How I made you scream in anguish and in misery…_

_It just breaks my heart…_

_Don't remind me that it is not fine…That this is not permanent…_

_That one day I shall have to let you go…Because I just know one day soon, that moment will come…_

_The possibility of the otherwise happening is too…too slim…_

"Remind you!?" L screamed, "I should not have to, it should be plainly visible that we are not fine!"

"…" All B did was send a glare to the other…but that did not last long, for he ran to Lawliet, punching him straight in the jaw, sending the lanky man flying back into the right side of the aisle, into the peanut butter section; Beyond's body followed due to the chain, that was, until, the older man punched him back, hard, his body falling back into the middle of the aisle, L landing on top of him.

"So when you run out of words to say, you decide to HIT me is that it, Beyond?!" L shouted, but then let out a yelp of pain as a hard slap came across his cheek, B shoving him off roughly with a yell.

_It is not that I have run out of words to say…_

_I just have…words I cannot say…_

_You would never believe them…You would not listen L…_

"No, I just have nothing to say to a stubborn bastard such as yourself!" B lied with a bellow, "Why would I waste precious breath on YOU!?"

"Oh?! Well, you always do, when you say you LOVE ME-"

The punch was heard by the spectators, some of the women gasping and letting out a scream, a small amount of children beginning to cry and become afraid.

_Stop reminding me that I love you…I DO, and I KNOW I do, I know every time I look at you Lawliet…_

_And don't use that knowledge against me…_

Was it the frustrations of them both that led to the following punches and kicks, the rolling around in the middle of the aisle, the chain sometimes tangling up, then at moments latter, it would become unwound, while items were being bumped off the shelves, shattering and spilling open on the floor? Or was it the angry words, but they too could have been built up by frustrations...Perhaps it was because of whom the men were; their personalities had always clashed from the very beginning, back in the day at Wammy's House.

Well…there is that old saying that love hurts…

The duo had been rolling around and punching for God knows how long, until finally the store manager was brought to the aisle; the young adult, with sandy hair and acne to boot, just snickered, stating,

"Well, well…I had heard there were two troublemakers in here, but I didn't suspect them to be two men into erotic chain bondage…"

"…"

"…"

Beyond and the older one immediately stopped, a fist raised, ready to slam into L's face, while a bony hand belonging to L was about to slap the jam-lover; ebony eyes collided with red ones, blinking at the realization of how and what their position was: Limbs were tangled up on the floor, the men were panting, some blood dripping from their lips and noses, hair disheveled more than usual, growls, groans and moans of pain having been echoed out. B could feel the heat itself going to his face at realizing how he was somewhat straddling his lovely captive, who had taken quite a beating in the store. There were also glass pieces scattered about due to broken jam and pickle jars, along with open ketchup, mustard, mayo, and other condiments bottles, their contents spilled out onto the floor.

"U-Uhh…" Was all B could spit out, and he noticed that L had turned his head away once more, like he had done before, hiding an expression on that porcelain face.

"I'll have to ask you two to leave." The manager ordered harshly, sending a stern glare down at the tangled men; but before he stepped back, he murmured softly, only for B and L's ears, "You know…if you two do threesomes…I'd be more than interested. Chained bondage…and two men like yourselves…I-"

"BACK OFF!" B screamed at the top of his lungs, grabbing L in a tight hug, the detective only replying with a "meep!", the bodies on the floor becoming untangled, "HE is MINE. WE don't share each other, and I'd NEVER SHARE HIM! HE'S MINE!"

The young, pasty faced manager backed off, but not before noticing something in Beyond's pocket.

"Hey…is that…JAM?!"

"…" The killer glanced down to see the jam he had snuck into his clothes sticking out due to the fight, and the tomato in Lawliet's pocket had become smashed due to the fighting. "U-Uh…" Beyond turned to the man he loved, who had gone into shock, or so it seemed, because of what the copy had shouted, for L's face was a rosy shade of pink, and was unresponsive, except for some blinking, "L RUN!" B shouted, hopping up like a jackal and a cheetah as one creature, running to the back of the store just as the management was shouting for security.

The window wasn't far away, and swift as a professional thief, B snatched up some cheese, nuts, another tomato, and even a chocolate bar before the window appeared in their sights.

"GO, GO!" B yelled, shoving L towards the window as footsteps echoed closer; the killer held the window open with his one free hand as Lawliet began to climb through it, B having to follow fast. Thankfully, before either of them could be caught, Beyond slammed the window shut, pulling the insomniac through the back alleyways, where rain was still pouring down, puny puddles sprinkled about the pavement, L's shoes squelching in the wet weather.

…

The men came to a building not far from the warehouse, this one an abandoned fish shop, when they decided to rest after the long run away from the chaotic grocery. A small canopy hung above a back door and its steps, and that was where Beyond dragged L to, both getting into crouches.

"…I suppose you shall never be able to go back there?" L asked after some time, shaking his head with a chuckle, "We always just…know how to cause a scene, do we not?"

"No, I do not think I will be able to, Ahaha…" B could not help but laugh at the raven, turning to smile softly at the older man, scooting closer, "How's your head? I know I punched you pretty hard…" A bony hand came out to touch Lawliet's face, but the detective did not back away, his eyes widening, his body stiffening slightly when the hand came to caress the side of his face, but L did not push the other away.

"It…it is fine…" Lawliet whispered, hanging his head somewhat, but a graceful, tiny grin on his face.

"…Your face is still red, Lawli…" The killer laughed softly, "Was what I said that…shocking to you?"

"Huh?" Coal-colored eyes were as wide was UFO's, blinking rapidly, "I-I don't understand…"

_…Or I wish I did not…All I can say is that I do not…when in fact…_

…_I do…_

The impish grin made L retreat mentally, but not physically, coming to believe his body was frozen due to that hand pressing lightly against his head,

"Oh, Lawli? I think you perfectly understand it…You understand that I feel that you are going to be mine one day…"

"B…"

"Do you really still fully doubt everything, L?" The killer, changing from his normal demeanor, talking softly, "Can you really say that? Maybe you can out loud...but I know you too well, don't you realize that?"

…_You're right…_

_I…I am starting to realize many things, Beyond…_

"..." L chose instead to say nothing, turning away his gaze, gluing it to the wet ground, ripples still forming in puddles as the clouds unleashed more rain.

"…You deny so much, L…You always have, haven't you?"

"What do you mean?" The detective returned kindly, genuine confusion in his voice.

"Can't you at least say there has been thing in the past that you have denied, Lawliet?"

"…I suppose-"

"And now…" B had inched closer, his lips nearer than they had been before, ruby eyes alight with a mischievous glow, "Do you deny anything now?"

"…I shall not be saying so." Was all L bluntly stated, causing B to laugh,

"Of course not. I don't expect you to," The killer pulled back, giving the detective some room, "But…maybe one day, you shall say so. No, not maybe…I know you will. Because L…I can see something in your eyes. An emotion, a feeling…something that...shows you have come to a conclusion on a matter; that said matter is a thing you wish to deny."

_H-How…How can see just stare at me like that…and talk as if he can see right into me…?_

"Admittance of whatever you are hiding in there will probably come eventually, Lawliet, and don't deny it. I can read you all too well, for I wanted to destroy you at one point, and to destroy an enemy, you must know the enemy. But…" B pushed himself closer once more, "I bet this knowledge frightens you. Not many can read you so easily, can they? And you know I can, due to our fights, our words…our various actions."

"…How can you just say you see so much?"

"Because I can, L. I can and I do." B's smile was ambiguous, making L question much, but the killer did not let the subject continue, saying, "Let's go. It's still raining, but you won't melt in it, will you?"

Lawliet just sighed, following the other man whom had already stood up, the duo beginning to walk, hoods down over their faces as the Heavens unleashed more tears; the alleys were abandoned, as dark as they had been before, with only a rat or mouse scurrying by.

"…Wait a moment." L spoke mutely, stopping, forcing B to stop as well.

"What is…it…?" Beyond trailed off as L took off his hood, letting his face be hit by the pouring rain, ebony eyes closing as the water drifted down the pallid face and lips, even more so when Lawliet lifted his head towards the sky, speaking in silky tones,

"I enjoy the rain…And I have not had time to just be out in nature, enjoy it. Mmm…when I was younger, I used to sneak away from Watari and go outside. Sometimes to watch the stars, many other times to stand in the rain…just to enjoy it all…"

"…You never seemed like that type, L. You...I thought of you as more the bookish, studious, intelligent type-"

L interrupted with a small chuckle, "Only when I need to be, Beyond, which, I admit, is most of the time. But...I do say that when those times come...when I, L, can just be…I take them with all of my being. Especially if I have a young death, I need to have something to remember this place by, if humans keep their memories on the other side…" The raven hummed for a moment, then said, "The other side...maybe we do keep our memories there, as something we can think of while we float away in nothingness…"

B stepped closer to the insomniac, whose eyes were still peacefully shut, saying, "Talking of memories and the rain...you're not the L I have known…"

"…Or maybe you did not know me as well as you claimed…" L returned with a small smile, his eyes half-open.

"And maybe you did not know me as well, either, or…you might have realized all of this sooner…"

"…The past is in the past, that is all we can say, Beyond."

"Hmm...Yes. And we can just…use this time now to get to know each other better…" The copy stepped closer, and threw back his own hood, his own black locks beginning to soak up the falling water like a sponge.

"Yes, I-MMPH!"

L had not a moment to react as B pushed him against the nearest wall, hands of the killer grabbing onto Lawliet's wrists in a tight grip, lips of the jam-lover descending on the detective's with rapid speed, but in a gentle manner B did kiss, so as to not scare the raven away, or make L fall back behind those carefully built walls.

Lawliet let out a wine as B's carefully probing tongue licked softly at the closed lips of the other, and when one of Beyond's hands snaked away from the trapped wrists, locking L in place with only one appendage so the other could swiftly sneak up L's shirt, the raven shivered, not due to just the rain. That hand on his skin was gentle, lightly touching, caressing a bruise that had blossomed on L's skin due to the fighting and the torture from before.

B's tongue continued to ask permission to enter the other's mouth, and finally, L gave in with a groan as Beyond deepened the kiss; and not a moment later did L find himself giving in to kissing back…

It was a gentle motion, and fleeting, but pallid lips moved against normally bloody ones, and B let out a noise of pleasure as he felt his L returning the gesture, even though it was not as with much fire as B was unleashing, it was enough for now, to make him feel satisfied.

That was why B paid no heed to holding onto L's hands, and his left hand holding the bony wrists let go to settle onto L's side, pulling him closer, while his right continued to rub the raven's side, the snow-white skin.

It was even more surprising to feel Lawliet's own hands fist into his shirt subconsciously, hearing that whine escape the other's throat and out his mouth as their tongues danced in the heat taking place underneath the rain. Wet sounds of lips meeting lips echoed out, the weather drowning them out, all except for the two men standing in the alley; not that anyone else was there, and thank god in B's opinion, for if anyone interrupted this moment, he would unleash hell.

Lips continued to move, that was all. No hips grinding against one another, no hickeys being left; it was all displayed in that kiss, and why go any farther now? Right when L had just become comfortable? No, there was no need. L was already opening up more, kissing back, which had to be a sign of more progress.

The minute moan, oh, **that** came from L, there was no doubt about it, as the men continued to kiss, B grinning into the romantic joining of lips like the Cheshire Cat as L let out another mewl, his body melting somewhat against the killer.

The need for air became too much, and both men pulled away, a string of saliva connecting them, and Beyond let out a chuckle,

"Did I make Lawli-pop…melt?"

Eyes of midnight darkness were half-lidded and glazed, but L snorted, saying, "Shut up", and causing the younger man to laugh.

"Oh? Lawli seems a little...flustered…"

L's legs shook, and just before it looked like he would fall, strong arms of the homicidal man came around his waist, holding him tight and close to the other male.

"See? I even have to hold you up, Lawli…I keep making you melt…"

"S-Shut up…y-you!"

"That was such a lovely comeback, Lawliet…" Beyond laughed while the flushed-red raven pouted, staring at a point somewhere on the wet ground, "Look at you, red as that tomato you squashed earlier…"

"…That was your fault, you-you…achoo!"

"…"

"…D-Did I just sneeze?"

"…Yes, but and it was a cute sneeze…" B purred with a grin, kissing L's nose; but his teasing halted when the older man let out another sneeze with a groan.

"…Beyond, I rarely sneeze. Could this not be a bad sign that-"

"That what, you're catching a cold? Haha! Come on, L, please, like that would happen…"

"…ACHOO!" The loudest sneeze yet, and something sank into B's hear that made him worry with fear.

"Umm…maybe we should get you back to the warehouse…"

"F-fine…" The detective rubbed his nose, groaning, "I've…never gotten sick, or at least not in the past few years. I may have contracted a disease or two as a child, but since then…nothing, and-ACHOO!"

"...Oh, Lord…" B caressed his head as he started walking, Lawliet following, but then stopped, speaking, "You do look a little weak, now that you mention it. Perhaps the weather…and all of…what happened before...is affecting your body's immune system?"

"…I hope not, I…I do not know how I could take-HEY!"

Beyond had wasted no words in picking the raven up into his arms, bridal style, breaking into a run back to the warehouse, L screaming, "Put me down at ONCE!"

"No!"

"Why NOT?!"

"BECAUSE!"

"…Again with you using 'because' as a reason?!"

"If you're sick," B shouted over the weather, the darkening sky and the now-beginning-to-roar thunder, "We cannot risk you getting worse! And walking slowly in the rain will make it worse!"

"…B-But I don't think-ACHOO!"

"Ugh, just shut up and agree with me!"

…

The duo made it back to the warehouse in record time, and after ordering L to change into fresh clothes and to lie on the bed, some hours of silence passed, with Lawliet just lying on his mattress, chained of course, while B took off to running around the warehouse, looking for the books he had bought from various stores over the past decade. The man had needed something to pass the time, and what better "thing" than literature? But as he traversed through the pages of murder mysteries (inspiration, of course), dark romances, technology handbooks, books on apothecary, poisons, and herbs, along with the wonderful _Akazukin ChaCha_, there had been not one word on the common cold or how to treat it.

Beyond whined as he entered into L's room hours later, around two P.M.

"I didn't find anything that would tell me what to do!"

"…"

"L?"

But the raven man had fallen asleep on the bed, his breathing a little wheezy, and his skin, in B's eyes, looked more pallid than usual.

"Oh, why did he have to get ill NOW?"

"…I can't help it, and maybe it is nothing bad?" Lawliet mumbled as he stirred, but when another sneeze came from the man, the killer sighed, stating,

"Maybe I rushed you, and didn't let you rest long enough after all of the…all of the…"

"Rape?"

"…Yes."

"Beyond, do not be afraid to say that word, you know...we both know the past is in the past. Have I completely forgiven you yet? No, of course not, that will take some time, but…You…" L turned away for a moment, his murky orbs calculating, "You have repeatedly apologized and have tried to make this better, and for some reason...I am starting to think better of you, forgive you. You were upset, angry…and I…I have not been the best of persons, and maybe I deserved some-"

B cut off the other, coming quickly to stand beside him, sliding a hand over the older man's mouth, "Hush, you need to save your strength L…You must be sick, if you're spilling your guts like that…Heh."

_You're seeing me in a better light…? Oh, you don't know how happy that makes me…_

_I'd kiss you again, right here, right now, but I don't want to catch whatever you have…Ah, who cares…!!_

But the jam-lover's kiss was not hot and heavy; it was just a gentle peck on those thin lips of L, who, as a tiny blush creeped up on his bony face, murmured, "Perhaps I just have a twenty-four hour type of bug? Watari used to take care of the children who had that type of...sickness…"

"Then just rest. Maybe…some soup? I don't know if I have any, I can look? I have heard that helps with colds…" A tender garnet gaze bored into L's own, who nodded, but then spoke up, "Wait…before you go to cook it…can you…um…"

"What is it, Lawli?"

"…Can you read to me?"

"…"

"I-I know it is a silly and frivolous request, but I remember…I remember seeing Watari read to the other sick younglings at Wammy's, and it always made them feel better, so perhaps-"

"Say no more, L." B could not contain the smile on his face, the ear-to-ear grin shining, "I'll read to you, and don't think any request from you is silly, alright?"

The killer vanished for a few moments; rustling could be heard by the raven, boxes moving about, until a triumphant, "Aha!" came from the younger one, B returning with a novel in hand, stating,

"This is a favorite of mine. It's called the _Thirteenth Tale_."

"Mmm…" Lawliet scooted closer to the edge of the bed, closer to Beyond, who sat in a crouch on the floor, next to the bed, "Sounds…interesting."

"It is! It's about a biographer, but she lost her twin, and is being told the story of an author; it has a lot of the stuff I like." Beyond was grinning wide, as if just the simple task of reading to the raven on the bed made his whole world shine like the sun, as if Christmas had come.

"Really?" L wondered if that last statement should have worried him, but the detective pushed the thoughts aside, curling up on the mattress with his thumb in his mouth, eyes settling closed, expecting a nice, enchanting story to sweep him away to another world, another place and time…

Instead…

He got Beyond's voice reading this:

_"Isabelle Angelfield was odd.  
Isabelle Angelfield was born during a rainstorm.  
_

_It is impossible to know whether or not these facts are connected. But when, two and a half decades later, Isabelle left home for the second time, people in the village looked back and remembered the endlessness of the rain on the day of her birth. Some remembered as if it were yesterday that the doctor was late, delayed by the floods caused by the river, having burst its banks. Others recalled beyond a shadow of a doubt that the cord had been wrapped around the baby's neck, almost strangling her before she was born. Yes, it was a difficult birth, all right, for on the stroke of six, just as the baby was born and the doctor rang the bell, hadn't the mother passed away, out of this world and into the next? ---  
_

_Bereaved, driven half mad with grief George Angelfield sat all day in the library, eating nothing and seeing no one. And he spent his nights there, too, on the daybed, not sleeping but staring red-eyed at the moon. This went on for months. His pale cheeks grew paler; he grew thin; he stopped speaking. --_

_In the end the Missus got fed up with it all. She picked up baby Isabelle from the crib in the nursery and took her downstairs. She strode past the butler, ignoring his protestations and went to the library without knocking. Up to the desk she marched and she plumped the baby down in George Angelfield's_

_arms without a word. Then she turned her back and walked out, slamming the door behind her._

_--_

_From that day on George Angelfield took personal charge of his daughter. He fed her, bathed her and the rest, moved her cot into his room in case she cried of loneliness in the night, fashion a papoose so that he could take her riding and read to her. He behaved, in short, as though Isabelle was a sensible, pleasant companion and not a wild and ignorant child._

_--She was, physically at least, perfection herself._

_--But what about Charlie, the baby's brother? He was a slow-witted boy whose mind turned in circles around his few obsessions and preoccupations, but who could noy be_

_prevailed upon to learn new things or think logically. He ignored the baby and welcomed the changes that her arrival introduced to the household. Before Isabelle there had been two parents to whom the Missus might report instances of bad behavior, two parents whose actions were impossible to foresee. --"_

At the mentions of "obsessions", L squirmed a little, stating, "B…what does this story contain?"

"Stuff I really, really enjoy, wait until I go on!"

And he did…

_  
"With the coming of the baby Isabelle, all this changed. Momma was gone, Papa as good as, too busy with his little Isabelle to concern himself with hysterical reports from housemaids about mice roasted with the Sunday joints or pins pressed by malicious hands deep into the soap. Charlie was free to do as he pleased, and what pleased him was removing floorboards at the top of the attic stairs and watching the housemaids tumble down and sprain their ankles._

_--By the time Isabelle was five the household had shrunk to George Angelfield, the two children, the Missus, the gardener, and the gamekeeper. The dog was dead, and the cats, fearful of Charlie, kept out doors, taking refuge in the garden shed when the weather turned cold. If George Angelfield had noticed their isolation, their domestic squalor, he did not regret it. He had Isabelle; he was happy.  
If anyone missed the servants it was Charlie. Without them he was lost for subjects for his experiments When he was scouting around for someone to hurt, his eyes fell, as it was bound sooner or later to do, on his sister."_

Now that tingling in Lawliet's stomach continued as he sensed something foreboding was to occur in the tale, but he did nothing to stop Beyond…

_  
"-Charlie pulled his sister's sleeve up and drew a piece of wire, orange with rust, along the white inside of her forearm. She stared at the red beads of blood that were welling up along the livid line, then turned her gaze upon him. Her green eyes were wide with surprise and something like orgasmic pleasure. When she put out her hand for the wire he gave it to her automatically. She pulled up her other sleeve, punctured the skin and with application drew the wire down almost to her wrist. Her cut was deeper than the one he had given her, and the blood rose up at once and trickled. She gave a sigh and a moan of satisfaction as she looked at it and then licked the blood away."_

L gasped aloud at the words, squirming even more so, due to the haunting memories of how Beyond had cut into his own skin with a knife, marking him…along with the recalling of how some of those cuts, bruises, and even the insertion of that modified dildo days ago had not only been painful, but had sent shocks of pleasure coursing through his bloody veins…

_D-Does this mean I am a masochist…That…I want him to hurt me…?_

_No, impossible, pain feels bad…_

_But then…_

_Why did I moan when Beyond committed some of the actions…?_

_And..even when he has punched me before...during our more recent fights..._

_I have to say..._

_It...sometimes felt..._

_G-Good..._

Either way, the story was beginning to get too much for Lawliet, he felt it should cease, but before he could speak, B had continued on,

_"Then she offered the wire back to him and motioned for him to pull up his sleeve. Charlie was bewildered. But he dug the wire into his arm because she wanted it, and he laughed through the pain. Instead of a victim Charlie had found himself the strangest of conspirators."_

"B-Beyond…"

_"And then-"_

"BEYOND!"

"Eh? Yes, Lawliet?" That smile…that damned grin on B's face sent a wave of...some foreign emotion swimming through L's heart; he wanted the story to end, if it was bloody already, who knew what was to come?

But that smile…that joyous Heavenly smile that made a synonymous grin appear on the raven's face…stopped and defeated all words that had been on the tip of L's sweet tongue.

It was obvious now…

L wanted to see B happy…

And this…reading a gory, horror filled story to the sleepy and sickly detective…

Made Beyond Birthday happy…

"…Nothing, continue on, please." L whispered, his grin not fading as BB's own blossomed even wider.

The killer continued on, on with the tale of incest, masochism, sadism, horror, gore, and plenty of suspense, all of which made Lawliet cringe with despair and awe and fear and stomach-churning nausea, and bite his lip on the detailed descriptions of masochistic actions, his brain recalling his own feelings; at the sadism, his mind remembered what had happened before, and even though he squirmed greatly, more internally, so as to not worry B, he did not stop that replica of his from reading.

For B was happy, truly happy, the smile was a dead giveaway; and those shiny teeth and that little chuckle BB echoed at the especially gory parts all made Lawliet's heart beat faster with a pulsing thump-thump, as if B's happiness was connected to his own.

But the raven did not have much time to speak, for as the story ended he drifted off, tired, but before he fell into a dreamy state, the older man felt a soft kiss touch his forehead, and the words, "I'll go make that soup, just rest…" echoed in his intelligent brain.

And even though Lawliet's dreams started out with swords and wires flying at his body, ready to kill as a maniacal laughing maniac with brown hair laughing in the background, the figure shrouded in darkness, it ended happily…

For a pair of red eyes belonging to none other than Beyond Birthday came out of nowhere, grabbing the raven and pulling him aside, down a corridor and into a beautiful secret garden…

OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**The Yagami Household, Kanto Region, Two-Twenty P.M., **

**Raito Yagami's Room**

OoOOOOOoOOooOOOoOooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooO

Raito had seated himself at his desk two hours ago, stating to his father, who had still been at the Task Force Headquarters, that he was unwell and that he needed to go home and rest. Perfect acting skills once again paid off, and Soichiro had nodded, ordering his son to return back to the roost and rest up, for the group of men was still trying to carry out L's job while he was away. It was perfect though, Misa was still killing criminals according to plan, Raito had just spoken to her earlier that morning after leaving the house of Bemouir.

But now the young Kira was quite nervous, for in front of him was the phone number of one Bernard Buchwald of New York City in America; according to Raito's calculations, it would be about half past midnight there, with the fourteen hour time difference and all. It had taken the young man two hours to mentally prepare himself and to think of what to say...along with Raito's nerves being...unsure of how all of this was to unfold.

"Caaalll him…Hehehehehe…" Ryuk teased in a ghostly voice over his "master's" shoulder, "What harm will it do? You need to see your L again, right?"

"…Yes, but…What if this leads to a dead end?"

"Hehehe, then that is your problem, not mine." The Death God stretched his limbs in his commonly-see contortionist style, and Raito threw the creature the apple that had been seated on his desk, the stretching a sign of fruit deprivation.

"Fine. I'll do it."

_It's now or never Raito…_

_Now or Never…_

_Save L or Never…_

And while repeating that mantra…

Raito picked up the phone, and dialed…

"One…Two, three four…six, two four…two, two, three four…"

…

"Hey…Ryuk…"

"Yes?"

"…It's ringing…"

And when nervous breathing sounded out, and a squeaky voice answered with a "H-Hello?", Raito knew everything was going according to plan…

OooOOOOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A/N: Ooooooh…Raito's about to find out some interesting stuff, let me tell YOU XD

And I hope you all loved this chapter, it was a lot of fun to write! But then again, they all are xD

And that book B read? It's a real book, called, The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield. : D Thank my friend Nessa for pointing it out to me! ^-^ Love to you, hun.

Well, that's all for now! Thanks for everything, especially all of your lovely reviews, and even MORE especially for reading! I'll be updating soon!

Until then, tata! ; D


	13. Questioning

A/N: KYAHAHAHAHAH D

…Sorry, my B-ness is showing XDD

ANYWAY, thanks for all the lovely feedback on the last chapters, I'm trying to reply as quick as I can, but e-mail has been acting evil and school be killing me softly D:

BUT, enough about that, and it's time for more of the Bloody Tale. My friends from dA know that I have recently gotten flack with this story, and have had one chapter deleted, but that is FAR from stopping me. So if the haters want a war…

Bring. It. On. XD

So yes, this story is going to be far from stopped, and yes, you have the chance to back out now, because it is DEFINITELY not going to get easier on your stomach or heart, but hey, that's never stopped you before, right?

Thanks so much for reading, it is the support of you all that keeps me going day by day, and I shall continue writing because of the people who care, who read, who give me advice, and who tell me to not let this get me down.

_OoOOoOOOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO_

_"You pay a great deal too dear for what's given freely."_

_- "The Winter's Tale", (Act I, Scene I)_

_OoOOOOoOOOOOOOOOooOoooooooooooooOOoOOOooOOOoOOOoooOOOo_

"Y-Y-You are…w-whom?"

The man, damn him, he just could not stop stuttering, and it was annoying Raito to extremes he had never experienced with another, save Misa Amane.

"I said, my name is Raito Yagami, and I am one of Japan's top police officers. I was wondering…would you have the time to tell me some information?"

"…A-About who? I-I…w-why would the Japanese police want to talk to me…"

Raito replied, in a tender, calming, debonair voice, "Sir…Mister Buchwald, really, this is nothing to worry about, but I would just like to ask you some questions…About a man named Beyond Birthday."

"…" The other line was silent, but the Yagami could detect hitched breathing, stuttering, muttering of mute words, including expletives and a fair share of whines of worry.

"Sir, this is of vital importance, and we need-"

"AH! N-NO! I-I-I-I can't tell you anything!" Buchwald screamed from the other line, and Raito heard crashing sounds of what was probably wood and glass, the man most likely stumbling into an object or two.

"…Why can't you tell me?" Raito kept his voice calm, but his chocolate eyes held a countenance of dread that made Ryuk laughed a wheeze and stare at his "master".

"H-He'll find me! He'll come back! I-I-I-!!"

"Sir!" Raito had to get this man to talk, he just had to; L's life was at stake here! "Sir, you really need to calm down, no one is going to hurt you, I swear. Please...this is of urgent and dire notice, and we believe lives are at stake here."

"L-Like MINE! He said if I told the police anything, that h-he-he would come after me!"

"WHO told you this?!"

"…Him…B-Beyond B-Birthday…"

"….So you are involved with him?" Raito continued to probe the man in a gentle, but firm manner, like any exceptional officer would do.

"N-NO! Not in the way you think, Sir! I-I…He…" Buchwald trailed off, letting out a depressing whine, before continuing with, "He…he held my sister and I hostage a long time ago…In my own apartment…"

"…Go on, tell me more."

"He-He just came in one day, barged in, by faking my sister into believing he was a...some sort of salesman, or water bill checker, something. And he threatened to kill us if w-we didn't house him and let him use our identities, credit cards, s-s-stuff like that! My sister and I th-thought he was dead! You know, in prison for those murders in Los Ang-Angeles, and supposedly he-he died in prison..…B-But he just showed up, we were so scared!"

Raito continued to take notes on the pad of paper he had acquired before making the call, listening intently as the man let out ragged, nervous breaths, "Mister Buchwald, what did Beyond talk about during his...impromptu visit to your home?"

"…O-OH God! H-He kept mentioning some man, he called him lots of things…"The raven" was one of those names…Give me a minute, I'm sure I can remember the others…"

_"The raven…"_

…_It has to be L…No, it IS L…_

"M-Mister Yagami? Um…a-another name was…was L…"

"…L?! Like-"

"Like the famous detective, yes Sir. Or that is what I believe now. For the longest time, I thought he was just talking crazy talk, nonsense; r-really, who would go after L? The man's a damn genius and some consider him a s-savior…A-Anyways, I guess he wants L…sort of like Kira…? We both know Kira wants L dead… or at least lots of people here in the U.S. think that."

"…Maybe Kira does, and yes…many do think that.…" The cinnamon haired man murmured under his muted breath, thinking in his head,

_No, I'm not a psychopath…I would never kill L, not…not after all of this…_

…_Would I…?_

_Ryuk doesn't think so, but I'll prove them wrong, all of them…_

_L shall be safe with me…H-He has to be…doesn't he…?_

_Why wouldn't he…?_

_I'm the one who wanted to destroy him, who could destroy him…but I shall make it so it does not happen…_

"S-Sir?" Buchwald's meek voice shattered Raito from his trance of thoughts, continuing on with, "W-What else should I tell you? I...I am not sure what else I can say…"

"…What did Beyond say he would do to L?"

"Oh, that's an easy one…he said…he would destroy him, and…b-become him…"

"…I see…"

"I-I should have told someone, I just…I was just so scared! I don't even know why he chose me! He said he would kill L, destroy him, but I was so scared for my own life, and my sister's, I didn't know what to do, I'm so sorry, officer! I just…I…" Buchwald sighed languidly and with such dread, Raito's heart went out to the man; B was a psychopath, the Kira knew that, and this man had, amazingly, survived an attack.

"Is there anything else you can tell me? Anything at all?"

"Well…I do remember some interesting things. He…he almost built a sort of…shrine to L. It wasn't anything big, and he once told me, 'All of this is temporary'...I remember him mainly using magazine cutouts, newspapers too…he asked for a lot of jam, and of course, we had to give it to him. He…he made the apartment into a mess, it was terrible…a-and we think he killed people while h-he-he was here…"

_ANOTHER shrine…? Damn…_

…_This man is extreme, Watari was right…he is going to great lengths to have L…_

_To destroy L…_

"I…I remember…he bought things with our credit cards, and packed them up in our suitcases, w-which he stole…"

"What kind of things?" Raito probed sternly, and Buchwald let out a nervous murmur of discontent,

"W-Well...Lots of ropes…a-and…a-and…handcuffs...a few knives too, he seemed to really enjoy sharp knives…Bu-But! He always murmured about how he would 'need to buy the bigger things at 'his next destination'."

"…Bigger things? Do you know what these bigger things are?"

"…Yes."

…Silence for a moment, and Raito heard Buchwald exhale pointedly,

"Sexual things. Dildos, ball gags, nipple rings. …A-A Saint Andrew's Cross…lubrication…things of that nature…H-He never said what they were for, though…but I am sure you can assume some of the things I did, Mr. Yagami…"

_Rape…_

…_Sex…_

_But no…B would __**rape**__ L…if he wanted to break L…_

…_Rape would be the option, the way to go…_

"Yes, I can assume some things, which only makes me want to hurry this search along. For…we believe that Beyond Birthday has taken a hostage."

"…I see." Buchwald murmured, "Can you tell me the name of this supposed hostage?"

"No." The answer was curt, and with a bit of a snappish tone.

"Hmm...I suppose I can understand, I have a feeling I know whom it is anyway…" Buchwald continued, "And I do recall more information that the police may be interested in knowing."

"Well, go on then."

"Alright. I remember…I remember Beyond kept mentioning different retailers and retail shops around the world; knick-knack stores, groceries, stores, flower shops, you name it, he mentioned it."

…_Flower shops…_

…_Wait…_

Raito was beginning to remember something very peculiar in his mind…a tidbit of information from that very important e-mail…

"Yeah, I didn't really get it either, but he kept mentioning them under his breath. I'm not sure what use it could be to the police, but maybe some use? But what I really remember is Beyond Birthday's departure from our apartment. I remember, during the night, he had taken up residence in my bedroom, by the way, and I was confined, with my sister, to the living room; I remember hearing him mutter something about, "He has finally shown his face"…he was using my laptop to watch something…I remember hearing a robotic voice, and words such as, 'Kira', 'killer' and…" Buchwald paused, and gave a gasp of recognition a moment later, "'I am the real L!' Oh my God, that IS it; he must have gone after L, Sir! Because the next morning, three hundred dollars was missing from a little money nest I had saved under my bed, and I was also missing a baseball bat, and a few other trinkets, along with a jar of jam, and one of my suitcases, and a few clothes!"

"But Mister Buchwald…from what we remember, L's broadcast was only aired in the Kanto region, which is where I work, here in Japan."

"N-No, Sir…It got leaked. That must have been how B saw it. Everyone in the United States got to hear about it once it was leaked onto the Internet, and recorded by some amateurs and such…I've seen it before, so I can say that that must have been the reason Beyond Birthday left our house so suddenly. He…He perhaps took a flight to Japan? Or got there somehow, and-and…and…well…"

"Did you call the police? Tell them any of this?!" Raito question, some anger boiling in his veins now; if this man had at least told the American police THAT, then perhaps Beyond Birthday could have been stopped from getting into Japan and kidnapping L.

"...N-No, Sir, I-I didn't…"

"…Why NOT?"

"…I was afraid that Beyond would come back and kill my sister and I! He had already harmed her, slicing her arm, it was terrible! We barely saved her back then, what did you expect me to do!?"

"How about stand up for Justice!? Because someone has been captured-"

"You mean L, Mister Yagami?!"

"…"

_Damn, he did figure it out…then again it was fairly obvious that L was B's main target…the shrine, the words he said…Of course this man would figure it out…_

"…Yes, Sir, it is L we believe that Beyond Birthday has taken hostage…And we are going to have to request that you keep that information to yourself."

"…Well, Mister Yagami, I…" Buchwald gave a sigh, "I suppose I shall have to."

"Good." Raito confirmed firmly, but in his mind, another plot was forming.

_This man knows too much…he figured it out…_

_That L was kidnapped by Beyond Birthday…that piece of information was not supposed to be leaked at all, dammit…_

…_No matter…He shall die, it's only certain…I'll make sure it happens…_

"I-I am so sorry, Mister Yagami, but I am afraid I must go…there are people I need to see, with work and all. Perhaps you can k-keep me update on this? I swear, I won't tell a soul about L's capture, you can count on me."

With that, and a click on the other end of the line, Buchwald was gone…

The Yagami cringed at the mistake of letting the knowledge of L's kidnapping get into the mind and ears of anther, but Raito knew that if he acted fast, he could prevent anything from happening, that including humiliation for L, the Japanese Task Force, or more harm coming to the raven's being.

Silently, the brunette pushed back his seat at his desk, in his quiet and dimly lit room, and let his hand wander to the drawer where he kept his tool of power, his Death Note, hidden.

After unlocking the book from its trap, Raito flipped to a blank page, void of any names; the young man paused though, and turned to his computer, flipping it on, and immediately typed in the name "Bernard Buchwald" into the most trust-worthy search engine he could find.

Surprisingly, Buchwald's picture appeared seconds afterward; apparently, the man had published books on criminals, and psychological mindsets of the mentally insane, probably due to his horrific experience with Beyond Birthday. The man had not written the books, only been a publisher, but his certain clientele showed what his main interest was.

And after picturing the man in his mind, Raito wrote the following into the Death Note:

_Bernard Buchwald _

_May 31, 2004_

_3:30 P.M_

_Suicide_

_After receiving drastic information about the kidnapping of L, he takes the subway, hoping to meet up with publishers and press to reveal the story to them, thereby hurting L's pride, fame, and reputation, and receiving some form of compensation for the justice he never received. He enters the New York Subway's third line, and after getting a drink from the nearest vending machine or café, Bernard Buchwald, feeling his mood darken, turn cold and sorrowful due to the recollections of all the horrors that Beyond Birthday ensued on his family, falls into the train tracks just as the train pulls away from the station, ending his life in a gory mess as his body collides with the oncoming train. This all occurs after he writes a small suicide note on a napkin or tissue, whatever he can find, and leaving it on the tracks, the note saying: "Justice for All, Beyond will Die."_

Raito closed the book, Ryuk chuckling behind him and glanced at the clock; it was already three-fifteen, not much longer to go. And then, no one would know that L was kidnapped, other than the people that should know.

…Little did Raito know that someone had tapped his phone line…that someone being L…

L had requested, in case of a dire emergency, when there were no other options, that Raito's phone, and the whole Yagami households', be tapped, and for Watari to listen to them; and now, at this time, Quillish felt it extremely necessary…

And though there had been some interference, and Watari had not heard the entire conversation, including the part where Buchwald figured out L had been taken…

He got enough as to where he knew he had to keep an eye on the young Yagami…

OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooOOOo

**Beyond's Warehouse, Four P.M, same day**

OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooOOOOooO

Soup was hard to make at the moment, in B's opinion, and it just made the killer irritated. Had it always been this hard? No, but now it was! Why? He was dropping bowls, the rusty salt and pepper shakers he had, and even some extra vegetables he was putting into the mixture, to make sure his Lawliet got enough nutrients in his system to speed up his recovery.

Why? Why was he dropping everything, fumbling over the pots and pans, looking like a fool in his own dirty kitchen, when he had made soup for himself countless times?

…Of course, it was pretty obvious; it was due to whom he was serving it too.

L had fallen asleep awhile ago, after Beyond had read to him, and the copy had to admit, the sight of the raven snoozing was just too adorable for words. The older man was curled up on the bed, a blanket that B had found in his room draped over his lanky body, and sucking and-or biting his thumb like a child. Lawliet's breath was labored though, a little wheezy, and it made the killer hurry even more with the soup.

The soup, Campbell's, what else, boiled and bubbled on the stove for some time, getting to a nice warm temperature, and B took the moments to gaze out at the barred window in the dinky and dank room, the sun still high in the sky, but turning a red-ish hue, giving an alert that dusk would be approaching rapidly.

_Well, Beyond…what are you going to do now…?_

_How long has it been…? Four, five days…? I stopped keeping track, I suppose…_

_But how long can you keep this up…keep him here…? You would want forever, but…how…? People need him…_

…_But I need him too…_

_Letting him go free right now is out of the question…he's starting to like you, to care…_

_Remember, he kissed back…again…Why though…what is his motive…?_

…_Maybe there is none…Maybe this is real…the way he looked at me afterward…those lusty eyes, him nearly falling into me…_

_This…Is this really become real…? I…I would not believe it if it was…_

…_And what should I do if it is…? _

_L…_

…_I don't know if you'll fully take me into your heart…allow me to love you…make love to you…But I know one thing…_

_I am sticking around until I make sure you live past November fifth…I don't care what I have to do, I'm not letting you die, Lawli…Not die this early, not now…not when we have finally made headway…_

_I don't know how you will die…where you shall die…but I do know that I shall follow you and do whatever I have to, to protect you…_

_Even if I have to give up my freedom…go back to jail…or even if I…_

_If I have to…to…die for-_

B did not let the thought finish in his head, due to not wanting to, but also because the tea kettle that he had put on with the soup hissed to a boil, tiny puffs of steam shooting out of the spout.

Green tea was poured, soup scooped up into a bowl, and a tray completely set for L; Beyond was proud, to present as a finishing touch, the still-alive iris that he had picked a few days before, in a tiny, thin, vase. After the night by the shower, B had placed the flower in a glass of water, thinking it would not last long, but almost miraculously, the flower lived, as bright and beautiful as ever.

The killer was careful to tip-toe quietly to the other man, whom was still sleeping soundly, with a smile on his porcelain face, as if he was having quite a pleasant dream; after setting the tray down softly, B placed a gentle hand on the usually-insomniac man, whispering words of awakening.

"Mm…" L stirred, coal-colored eyes opening softly, that sweet smile widening, as he murmured, "You saved me…"

"…" Beyond felt his skin flash red, and ruby orbs blinked, "U-Uh…what?"

L stared at the other silently for a moment, as if he had just realized what had spewed from his lips; he too, blushed and murmured, "Must have been a dream…"

"…Um…I brought you soup?"

_Best to get this conversation back onto where I thought it was…_

…_I do wonder whom I saved him from though…_

"…Thank you, that's kind of you-ACHOO!"

"And tea, it should help with the sneezing…Here, let me help you sit up…"

B gently took his place behind the other, holding his shoulders with a strong, but sweet grip, and while L pushed himself up, BB held the original's shoulders, helping the lean body sit up; Lawliet groaned, and rubbed his head once he had been able to sit upright, but gave the younger one a smile,

"Thank you…you're being exceptionally kind."

"…Don't mention it." B could not help but grin, and gave L's shoulders a gentle squeeze, and his pointed nose a playful touch, "Here, now eat, it'll help give you your strength back, chase the damn cold out of your body."

L kept that smile on his face when B set the tray on his lap, and a tiny laugh when he saw the iris.

"Is that-"

"Yep. Our flower…"

_Our…? D-Did I mean to say that…?_

…_Maybe…_

L tentatively held the spoon in his fingers, in his classic way of holding an object as if it contained hepatitis, herpes, mononucleosis, and the common cold in it, all at once, and Beyond chuckled,

"You know, you can hold it normally…then again, I have to say, that makes you so unique…"

"Um…" Was that a BLUSH on Lawli's face? Hmm… "Thanks, B…"

"…B…" The copy replied wistfully, crouching on the bed, facing L, "You'll probably never realize how much it means to me to hear you say my name like that…or at least an alias and part of my name…"

"…Maybe I will, maybe I won't…who is to really say, B?"

Lawliet had begun to eat the meal in front of him, even if it was not sweet, sugary, and full of sucrose and glucose; nevertheless, the copy had made it for him, so L felt he should give it a try, and actually, the soup did not taste that horrible…it tasted warm, really…delicious…and he could already feel his nasal passages begin to clear up due to the steam from the soup and the tea.

"People say a lot of things, Lawli…"

"…I suppose…But it is not what you say, always, sometimes it matters how you say it…"

"…I never thought about it that way, Lawliet." B returned, slyly scooting closer to the man he loved, "But that does make sense…showing what you want to say can also be easier than just blandly stating it."

L shrugged, "Unfortunately, I am not one who knows a lot about that sort of subject Beyond-"

"Actions can also be a way of having to not say something, right Lawli?" BB interrupted, and once more, scooted closer to the other, who sipped his soup, but kept a keen eye on the distance, which was now ever-closing, between him and the killer.

"Yes…I suppose..."

"Or if you were scared to say something…say, if you were scared to say how you really feel...?"

Lawliet gave a little cough, not from choking on the soup, but because of what B had murmured so softly, in a kind, gentle voice; why was Beyond questioning him so? And why did it feel like a boulder of fear had plummeted into L's stomach, making him internally squirm?

…L knew why…

His own actions...had Beyond Birthday seen something in them?

…Actually, anyone would, would they not…?

For if you kissed back…even if it was slight…it meant something…

Granted, L was sick, and a little out of it still from all of the rape, torture, and brutality, but he knew when he was doing something, and he had known he had kissed back, not once now, but twice…even he did not want to know why, or think why…But…

L had a theory as to why…

...That same theory from before…:

He had fallen in love with Beyond Birthday…

…And Lawliet wanted to smack himself for that…

Oh, did he know for sure at this very moment if that was it? Haha, certainly not, and he would not find out the answer with complete one-hundred percent until later, as I can be safe to say….but when L gazed at that man…

Gazed at him with his midnight orbs…

He saw someone that made his heart beat faster…someone who made him smile, now at least…He saw a body that made him flush and blush red, due to L finding it, dare he say it aloud, attractive…

_Gods and beings above, why…? Why now…?_

…_I-I…n-no, I can't be in love…that is just preposterous…but…_

_But I care about him…I cannot stop thinking about him…_

…_But he harmed me…He tried to destroy me…nearly killed me…w-why then…?_

_And I know, for certain, I would not kiss back unless I had a very good reason, or explanation…_

_So what is my very good reason or explanation here…? What…?_

_I do care about him; I know that…He just wants to protect me, to keep me safe…_

…_And I see it in his eyes each time he looks at me…that regret…those unshed tears…those orbs that keep telling me, silently, "Forgive me, L… Forgive me, please…"…_

_And I just nod and smile…and in my heart…what do I say…?_

_…I never pictured I would be in this position, L has never had to care about another soul, other than Watari, and I do care about M,M, and N…_

_But with you, Beyond…why is it different…why do I…Why do I feel this…feeling…? What is this feeling…? Is it…is it this love…?_

_Watari said my chances of ever finding companionship and love were slim; he did not try to dismiss it, or distinguish my hopes, he just said…"Try not to hope for something great, try not to search too hard, L, because there are more important matters in the world, in your life, in your mind…"_

_Okay, let's see…why would I love this man…?_

_One, he is amazingly intelligent…almost at my level, if not at it, and could probably pass it…Two, we…well, he and I have a history, be it bleak, but still, a history…Three, he…it just feels that he understands the pain I have gone through in the past…it is as if he knows how it feels to be alone, alone for so long you do not know how to interact…He has felt hellish pain too, I cannot forget that…Four, he, well, this is not truly love, but I have to admit, I find him extremely attractive…He keeps things exciting too, our fights attest to that…And he always makes up for it in the end, making sure I'm alright afterwards, or he has been doing that more recently…But greatly…I know that…_

…_I know that he wants me…He wants to have me to love, to protect, he-_

…_Oh, Lord, Lawliet, why did you not see this before…!?  
_

…_One of the strongest reasons you feel so many feelings for this man is because he wants you, he needs you…have you not always wanted that…!? Someone who wanted Lawliet, not just 'L'…? Someone who wants you for you, the bad and the good, the ugly and the beautiful…if I do have any beautiful parts, but still…Not only that, he shall go to any and all lengths to protect you, can you not see that too…? There is a fierceness to him that frightens me, but makes me sigh in content at the same time…_

…_He wants you…he wants to have you as someone to love, doesn't he…? And how much would you bet that that love would be unconditional…? He still loves you after everything you did to him…and he wants the same…He wants you to love him…That is all he wants now, isn't it…? _

…_Can I love him though…? Do I…? A rational man would not even be questioning himself like such…!! But-But…_

…_That look in those…gorgeous red eyes…I have to say, somehow, it makes me melt inside…that laughter, that smile…The soft touches he gives me now…even the words he speaks, his voice…it is so comforting…deep, debonair tones…quite enchanting really, very sweet…Even his purrs are…well, cute in a way…_

…_L the Detective thinking something is cute, when in God's name did that happen…?_

…_The moment he came back into your life, that is when…and when he shouted out that he loved you…when he handed you that beautiful flower with such a look of innocence in your eyes, that you had no choice but to smile…_

_I cannot say for sure whether I am indeed in love with you, Beyond Birthday…and I do not know when I shall find out, when I shall say that I have, or when I shall tell you those three words, if they turn out to be true…but I do know this…_

_Feelings are stirring inside of me, and I can do one of two things: Either flee, hide from them behind those walls, pretend they are non-existent…or I can fall into them…possibly be hurt…but then again…I could feel the purest and most lovely joy I have ever felt…_

…_Falling into them…Heh, have I not already been hurt…? What could be worse to feel, have I not already felt the worst…? I…I feel that I have…_

…_And those walls…what walls…? I feel that Beyond has already torn them down…they're gone…_

…_They are gone…_

_For I have not hidden behind them at all…I opened up to B…told him things…talked to him…_

…_I have nowhere left to hide, L has nowhere to left to run from his feelings…from his pain…it is all out in the open…_

…_So I have no choice…but I feel it is the right choice too…I should fall into these feelings…dive into them…I have nowhere left to go anyway…and maybe…_

_Maybe Beyond shall catch me…_

_Maybe…_

"Helloooo?" B spoke fairly loudly, waving a tired hand in front of L's face, "Hey, Lawli-Lawli, you awake?"

"H-Huh!?" L snapped out of his thoughts after all that time, and smiled at the other, "Yes, of course I am, you do not have to worry, Beyond."

"…You were staring at your soup for some time, and NO, Mister Genius, it is not tainted with arsenic, ant and-or rat poison, toilet-bowl cleaner, or-"

"How about nail polish remover? Or what about anti-freeze?" Lawliet teased, and BB pouted, smacking L lightly upside the head,

"Shut up, and eat, Lawli-pop, or I'll shove that soup down your throat faster you can say 'Wammy's House'."

"You sound like my father-…" L stopped, shaking his head, muttering under his breath, "Never mind, forget I said that…"

"…L, do you even remember them?"

"….Barely. Some things yes, but…other times, no. They're just…they're gone."

"I…I'm sure if they can see you, I bet they are so proud of what you've become Lawliet…" B, by this time, was sitting right next to L, his arms curled up around his legs, his head resting on his knees, a tiny smile flashed towards Lawliet.

"You think so? I would not be so sure…"

"…They did not think of you as a monster, L. That...That makes me believe they have to have positive emotions for you, like love, pride, compassion…Unlike mine…"

L put down the soup spoon, that he was holding in his right hand, after taking a sip, and turned towards his companion; B had fixed the handcuffs once more, the men chained to each other, but there was still enough mobility in the raven so he could lift a hand to Beyond's cheek gently, the copy gasping at the motion, ruby eyes widening in awe as the detective had touched him without provocation, without having to be told to, and without the killer touching him first.

"…You…You're not a monster, B…" L was not sure why he was saying it; he believed what he said, yes, but some foreign feeling in his self had pushed his mouth to say it, pushed his heart to speak it, "Do not let what they told you be what you firmly believe...they were wrong."

"..Were they Lawli?" Lawliet's hand was still on his cheek, and the younger male could not help but lean into the touch; L's hand was warm, despite his thin body structure, and having been kept in the cold warehouse for so long, "Tell me they were wrong…please. I-I know it is probably wrong to even asking that of you, but please…tell me…"

"They were wrong."

"…But how do you know?" B questioned softly, his voice trembling, but now a whisper, "You tell me I am not a monster, but really…how do you know that?"

"…" L paused, as if he was choosing his words carefully, "I do not know how I know that…all I know is that I **do** know that…I know what you are, what you are not. It is what I have stated before."

"…L…Why can't you tell me..?"

"Tell you what?"

"What…what you are feeling. A-Are you just not ready?"

"…I…I…" The topic B had brought up before was coming back to the surface: L's actions stating how he really felt, because he was too afraid to speak the words that scratched at his tongue, words that played with his head, words that tickled his soul menacingly, urging on silently with, 'Tell him…tell him how you feel…'; Lawliet wanted to remove his sickly hand from B's face, but why could he not? It was as if he was frozen in place, those blood-eyes shining at him holding him, as if they had turned him to stone.

"Shh…L, don't worry. You don't have to say anything…you'll talk when you're ready."

There it was again, that damning grin that made Lawliet internally squirm, that made his twenty-four year old heart beat faster, his hands twitch, and his dark, bottomless orbs shine with emotions L had never grown accustomed to; the raven spoke up once more, with,

"I-I...I am unsure of what you are-!"

L cut himself off when Beyond took the detective's hand, the one still lightly caressing his face, and held it in his own, and even giving the appendage a sweet as sugar butterfly kiss,

"Lawli, you know that I can read your thoughts so well, read what your eyes are telling me secretly. So...you should give up this little charade of playing dumb, even if the look of dumbness is quite adorable on you…" The killer chuckled, and before L could reject or push the young copy away, he found B nuzzling into his neck with a soft feline purr being emitted from his throat, and bony, usually blood-stained hands coming around to hold L's waist tightly.

"…Q-Quite friendly today, aren't you?" L choked out, stuttering, dammit! L, stuttering?! Ah, the man would never live this down.

"Mmm…Lawli, I can't help it…You're just so…so…"

"So…what?"

"So you, that's what…" Beyond tenderly kissed a patch of skin on the raven's neck, causing the old man to shiver, and grip his jeans tightly out of nervousness.

"…Y-You say you can see my thoughts…w-what I am feeling…then why don't you tell me?" L continued on, trying to ignore more of the kisses B was giving his neck, and the bruises on there.

"Oh, but L, if I did that, what good would that do you?" B impishly grinned into the neck of the other, "Just take pleasure in knowing that I know what you feel, and that I believe you'll come to grips with it in time…." Another soft kiss on that gorgeous neck, which was skinny, but warm, and just the right place for Beyond to rest his head.

"I…I…" Lawliet found himself losing cognitive thought; those lips…they were so warm…so gentle…like two pink puffs of cotton candy brushing against his skin…like two tiny clouds…

"Shh…Just relax L. Remember, you're still somewhat sick…just rest and let me make you feel good…" B told the other kindly, one of his hands going up the older man's shirt swiftly, to rub L's still-bruised side, "You deserve it…after all the…Hell…"

"…B-B…" The killer continued to kiss his neck, in that still same, gentle motion that made L's body quiver with…with what? Longing?

…Yes, it had to be longing.

Longing for those lips to kiss him more…

And…

Longing for Beyond…

"L…" BB whispered in the raven's ear, brushing some bangs back behind that cute, little ear, "I'm sorry…for everything.…"

"…I-I know…I know, B. And…" Lawliet felt his face heat up in a blush as he uttered his next five words, "I am sorry as well…"

"…I know, Lawli-pop…I-I've always known…Always…" Beyond continued to speak softly, but once he finished his sentence, he took L's tray of food and the flower, and placed it on the floor with a bang, but nothing broke, thankfully. Removing that hindrance gave B more room, and he situated himself in front of L , and after pushing the man's crouched up legs somewhat apart, and sliding in between them, the killer continued to lovingly kiss the insomniac's neck, and rub his side.

That was all he did though…kiss that neck, caress that skin…B feared too much would push L Lawliet over the edge once more…

…But the young killer, the supposed psychopath…he had to touch the other….do something…

And L was not pushing away those soft, sweet kisses, that gentle caress; moreover, Lawliet's gray-black orbs were at half mast, tiny puffs of breath and hot air exiting those pallid lips; a bony hand came up to settle on B's back, just sit there, to neither push away, nor pull closer. The chain between the clinked on and off as B's lips moved all over the sides of Lawliet's neck, the raven becoming downright intoxicated with the feeling on his skin, Beyond's warm breath tickling him; sometimes, the killer let his teeth slightly graze over the porcelain, but stained with hurt, skin, causing the older one to let out soft sounds and mewls subconsciously, without thought.

"…B-Beyond…" The name was a soft whisper, but it sent shivers down the killer's spin, and he groaned quietly, mutely, in the older one's ear,

"L…..Heh, you're not pushing me away. Are…Do you like this?"

Lawliet could only respond with a whine, intelligent words fleeing his brain; B took that as a positive sign, and continued to kiss the raven's neck, trailing his lips up to his L's jaw, then to his cheeks, and even to that pointed nose. Finally, hot breath fanned out over the raven's lips, and swiftly, Beyond captured them with his own, slowly, gently kissing though, for the man was still fearful of scaring off his Lawli-pop for good.

The detective found himself whining into the kiss, and the moment B's tongue probed against his slightly parted lips, L opened his mouth up for that delicious, sweet plundering tongue that belonged to a serial killer; but that was not on the forefront of L's mind. What WAS, was how amazing it felt when B kissed him like so, how the younger man went slow, tentatively, as if to wonder how far he could really go with the older pale one, with ghost-like skin, at this point. Add to that the strong, warm feeling of Beyond's hands and arms around his waist, and Lawliet knew his thoughts were long gone for the time being.

…Why did it taste so good? So Heavenly?

Should he not find this wrong? Disgusting? Not because B was a man, no far from it, but more because this was the man whom had raped him repeatedly? Brutally attacked and broke and hurt him?

….Should he not be pushing Beyond away, instead of…instead of…

"Mmm, Lawli, did you just pull me closer?" B whispered as he broke away for air, a devilish grin on his face that made L blush as red as a ripe tomato.

Indeed, Lawliet had pulled B closer; that one arm on B's back had pushed the killer closer, and the thin detective's other arm, after snaking through and around the chain, had wrapped itself around Beyond's neck.

"…I…I did…" There was no use denying it, in L's opinion.

"…That's wonderful." The other returned with a glimmering grin, and in seconds, went right on back to kissing the blushing insomniac's bruised lips, turning a light red due to the heated meeting of mouths between them.

…So this is what it felt like to be wanted….to have someone want to kiss you…hold you…

…Love you…

…Adore you…

…Protect you from everything…

And even…

…Tear you down…and make you whole again…

…Lawliet did not recall when he had completely twined his arms around B's neck, or when he had gone from kissing back slowly and gently, to kissing with vigor and fire, with passion, with a strength he had never shown; granted, he had never shown anything towards romantics such as this, but that was far form the point. Years from now, Lawliet would always recall this kiss; in a way, he considered it to be his and Beyond's first true kiss, first completely and wholly mutual kiss. Their first fiery kiss, the kiss that made L's back arch against his captor's body, who let out a breathy moan at the action, and who kissed the detective even more passionately.

The sound of lips meeting, smacking, wetly echoed in Lawliet's ears, but the pounding of his heart was the greatest sound of all. It rang out in his head, his ears, and his body, his body itself feeling as if it was on fire, but in such a good way, such an amazing way, and the pale goblin-esque man had never felt this feeling ever before, this feeling of being alive scorching through his veins of blood.

Hands were moving over L's beaten body, the touch sending sparks up his spine; he had not even noticed when Beyond's hands hand sneaked their way under his clothing, but he far from cared. All he could focus on were those hot lips against his own, wetly kissing; that tongue of a killer, that had tasted blood before, was now teasing L's own sweet-as-whip-cream appendage, and tasting his mouth once more, drinking him in, taking all of L in.

Skins of pale, snow-white hue turned a vibrant red, flushed tone, and in the end, B broke away for air, a trail of saliva connecting them both; not before "accidentally" (BB would come later to say that that action HAD been accidental, L was not to believe him) grinding his hips into Lawliet's, making the older man let out a moan of pleasure.

"…God…" It was all B could say as he stared down at the other, a smile alighting his face, "So, you feeling better then?" There was a slight mocking tone in the chuckle that followed that question.

"…" L pouted, but he found himself smiling a moment later, "Perhaps…"

"I...I never thought you would ever kiss me like that, L…"

"…Neither did I…"

_I did not expect to be falling for you either, Beyond……_

"But, you have to rest now…I want you better, alright?" Beyond nuzzled playfully against L's cheek, "If you don't get well…well, what then? I can't have you being a sicko on my hands. That's not only boring, it...well…it would worry me…"

"I would worry you?"

"…Don't be stupid, of course you would worry me." Beyond pouted, but grinned when L let out a surprising chuckle.

"Of course…I can see that in you now…"

"You can?" B's grin widened, to be an adorable ear-to-ear smile, so cute that the raven underneath the younger male could not help but blush, and twiddle his toes.

"Um…Yes…"

"….You'll never know how much that means to me. Those words that you just said…well, ONE word really, but nevertheless…you need your rest. So, REST."

Beyond planned to hop off the detective, and did so after fixing the handcuffs once more, chaining L to the bed; the captor even playfully pushed the older male down against the bed again and again with a laugh, repeating that he would have to rest, get better, words of that sort of nature. All the while, L played along…no, he did not, in a way. The laughter he gave back was mutual, he found B's little antics to be quite entertaining, and he even giggled when the killer "accidentally" (this was to become one of B's favorite words) tickled him.

After some moments, and a few sneezes from L, the insomniac piped up, "Wait…are…are you going to stay?"

B had already moved to the door, feeling that L had needed some privacy, some quiet relaxation time, "Do...do you want me to stay?"

"…Yes." The word was out of L's mouth before he had even comprehended that it had been released.

But he did not take that lone word back.

For he…he did not want to…

And when Beyond snuggled up against him, without even asking Lawliet if it was alright to do so, but of course, L did not mind, the detective realized this quiet time was precious...vital, in a sense…

Vital due to the fact that L realized he could use this time…to regain ground with Beyond…start over…

Build a friendship…

….And maybe build a romance…?

"Beyond?"

"Yes, L?"

"…May…May I ask you some questions?"

OooOooOooooOOoOoOoOOooOOooooOOOOOOOooo

**Beyond's Warehouse, Nine P.M**

OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

They had talked for five hours…five hours straight…

And B was still in shock…

L had asked him so many things, so many things indeed…

What his hobbies were, what he liked, what he loved, what he hated…why he enjoyed the flavor of jam so much (_It has such a sweet taste! And it has such a beautiful color! _Had been his reply)…why he was so passionate in many ways, about many things…

And then there had been more personal questions too…

…Like what had his parents been like, what had they said and done to him; how he and A had become such good friends…

And even…what was it like to kill another human…

That question had sent waves of worry through B, but the killer answered honestly, and those midnight orbs of L had been solely focused upon his being, listening intently, sometimes asking why he had chosen a certain victim, weapon, or other interesting point…

…Then it had been B's turn to ask questions…

L had seemed hesitant at first, but Beyond had started easily, with questions such as what was L's favorite dessert (no surprise, it turned out to be strawberry shortcake; there had been a smile when the raven had said it); he asked what was L's favorite literature (it turned out to be a tie between Poe, Shakespeare, Dickinson, Twain and hundreds of other authors…so yes, a very big tie). What were L's hobbies had been another topic, such as did he watch any television? Did he play any sort of board games, or video games (when B found out L had delved into the Pokemon scene for awhile, the copy had laughed so hard and loud)? Did L read the newspaper often had been another probing question, and it turned out he had.

…Then came the harder questions…

Like what L's former childhood rapist had done to him…

At first, B's Lawli-pop had been hesitant to share, but he had eventually spilled everything…Every. Single. Detail.

The words had flowed like a waterfall, rushing past L's lips, and even some tears came up once more, but B held the original man tightly in his grasp, while a pit of guilt grew like a horrid plant in his stomach…

No wonder L had hated him for so long…

B had torn him apart…Just like that vile man had...

And when the trickery of Lawliet's parents were mentioned, and then their murders, Beyond could not help but hang his head…

…For no wonder L had been so cold…

He thought for so long people would forever despise him, trick him…hurt him…

…Destroy him…

…Now that was about to change…

…

Beyond had never spent five hours talking with anyone; oh, he had dreamed of talking to L for that long for years, blindly not realizing it, and now that it had come true, he relished in the feeling. Now, as the moon hung high, L was asleep, worn out from the day, the talking, but there was a smile upon the older one's face as he snuggled up closer to B, his dark bags and eyes closed tightly, but happily, his face, resting in the crook of B's neck while the copy brushed some of the bangs belonging to Lawli back away from his forehead.

The detective's breathing was already improving, his skin returning to its normal pallid hue, but still healthy. Perhaps L had been right, he had only gained a twenty-four hour flu bug or common cold virus.

Beyond was content to stay in this position for the rest of the night, and smiled at the sleeping other, gently kissing his temple; but the silence was disturbed when the cell-phone Beyond had stolen vibrated in his pocket. He had taken it from another man before the kidnapping of L…a name called Biyokoi Buichi…

Quickly grabbing it out of his pocket, the young man glanced at the I.D. portion of the phone, it stating:

_News Central…Alert!_

Of course; Beyond had tapped into the phone, and accessed certain Internet news sites with it; the sites would give him updates on certain...members of society, just in case, whenever their names appeared in the news.

The text message from the website stated the following, and it made Beyond silently gasp, and internally scream:

_"Bernard Buchwald, famous publisher, killed in subway!_

_Suicide…or Kira…? Check our site for more details!"_

…No…

…Kira was on to him…that had to be the reason why that fool was dead…

BB knew that Buchwald had NOT been a criminal…but had Kira found out that B had been tied to him, and was now coming after Beyond due to him having L? Did Kira KNOW that B had L?

…It was too great of a coincidence to state otherwise…

Why else would Kira randomly kill that man? Out of the blue? A man that was not even involved in the Kira case and not even in Kira's own country of Japan?

…_He knows…_

_He HAS to know…somehow…_

_Somehow he found out I, Beyond Birthday, kidnapped L…_

_Could Kira really be that suspect that L told me about…? What did L say his name was…?_

…_Raito Yagami…_

Yes, L had even spilled some of the beans involving the Kira case during those five hours of talking; it was near the end of the time, and L had been tired, so perhaps the genius had not fully known what he was saying?

Nevertheless…

_Kira…Kira knows I have L…he has to…this…this is far too great a coincidence…_

_L gets kidnapped, and then Buchwald is dead, most likely killed by Kira…?_

_Kira must feel that I am to kill L…but he wants to do it for himself…?_

_I don't know that bastard's motive for sure, but whatever the case…_

_He won't get his hands on L…_

With that, B threw the cell-phone to the ground, and grabbed L to hold him tightly in his lanky and tired arms, the detective nuzzling into Beyond's neck once more, murmuring quietly, "So warm…Biyondi…"

_Come on Kira…just try and find me…You can't kill me without your face, L confirmed that little fact for me just hours ago…And I KNOW no one else knows my face…knows who I am…_

…_So just try and kill me…!! Just TRY and take L…! I DARE you to! I dare you to come and find me…!!_

_HE. IS. MINE. And…_

_And you'll never have him…!!_

An evil glimmer shone in those ruby and garnet orbs, a freezing and downright malicious shine; there was a dark, horrid grin on that face as well, and it was a good thing L Lawliet was slumbering peacefully…

For that grin, and that glimmer, did not leave B's face until sunrise…

OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A/N: O_O

SUUUPPPER Long chapter!! XDDD But I wanted to write this one so badly and I found it easy to write! Mainly the Death Note part with Buchwald and L's internal thoughts…Hm…I wonder what that says about me…Oo And I wanted this to be longer, chapter 13 (B!!) and all! XD

Let's see….some interesting music inspired me while writing this: "Falling" by Staind (See the reference? When L was speaking of falling?), "Accidentally in Love" by the Counting Crows (Haha, odd choice for this story, but hey, I find it to be somewhat fitting?) And "Diary of Jane" by Breaking Benjamin, who is a recent favorite of mine, and I find all of the songs to be great inspiration for this story. : D

And YES, expect a big battle between Raito and B soon, OOOOH, we're getting close! XD I'm excited, if you could not tell, hah!

Thanks so much for reading, for all of the alerts, favs, everything! I have to say, I love this story. Granted, I love ALL of my stories, but this one just has a special place in my heart. And for all of my loyal readers, who are die-hard Yaoi fans, YES, you will get some full man-on-man action later, I promise, it's coming. Also, the bloody action is coming too, so just hang on. ;D

I'll see you all at the next chapter, tata, and thank you for reading!

P.S. I THINK We've passed the over 100,000 word mark!!! 8D WOOT! 


	14. Humanity

A/N: Hello again dear readers! : D Sorry Bloody Kisses wasn't updated sooner, but woo, I have been very busy! XD But I DID give you all something special I hope you check out: A special chapter of Bloody Kisses, 7.5 to be precise, called Bloody Nightmares of a Strawberry Loving Killer, and I have posted it here on ! ^^ I hope you check it out; it is filled with blood, gore, torture, and lots of yaoi! XD

Song Inspiration: "Second Chance" by Shinedown and the wonderous talent of Emilie Autumn

~And now, please enjoy the continuation of our tale ~

_OoOOOOOOOOOOOOoOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooO_

_"The common curse of mankind, - folly and ignorance."_

_- __Troilus and Cressida, __(Act II, Scene III)_

_OoOoOoOoOOoOoOOOOOOOOOOOoOoooooOoOOooOooOOooOOoOo_

_**-Winchester, England; Wammy's House, Five A.M.-**_

"You are being utterly ridiculous, you know."

"Can you shut UP?" An angry, yet mute, whisper came from the young blonde boy as he crouched outside Roger Ruvie's office. Mello knew he was, technically, breaking the rules, but had he not done that a million times already? Pshaw, what was one more time? A human only lives once right? Sadly, good old goodie-two-shoes Nate River was standing across the hall, giving Mihael a blank look of what was probably disgust and annoyance.

"Mihael, you should not be eavesdropping on Roger, you know how he hates that."

"Near, I don't need you to rain on my parade. Now be useful and go and get Matt, a' right?"

"…" Near just grumbled under his breath as he walked back towards Mello and Matt's room, words the chocolate-fiend could not catch, and fairly, wholly, disregarded; turning his careful hearing back to the doorway, he could hear Roger continue the phone conversation with, who else, Watari.

Mello had heard the phone rang this early English morning, the sun just beginning to rise and spread its orange and pink fingers across the dull, gray sky, and had immediately run to the hall as swift and silent as a cheetah to spy. The boy had not been sleeping well at all in the past few days, nearly weeks, mainly due to his worrying of L and the young detective's situation. No news had been heard from Watari since the e-mail from himself and Near had been sent out, and it troubled Mihael immensely.

"You received WHAT?!" Roger tried to contain the trepidation and excitement in his voice, to not disturb the sleeping children and babes in the orphanage, but the elder was failing miserably, "But Watari, Sir, I never sent you an e-mail containing that information! YES, I am sure; I think I would pretty damn well remember THAT!"

_Damn, Watari found out Roger didn't send him that e-mail…!_

"The REAL question is, Watari, why you waited THREE DAYS after receiving such an e-mail to contact me!?...OH, I SEE! Mood of despair was "distracting"," Roger scoffed mockingly, "THAT greatly makes up for everything!" In a fit of rage the likes of Mello had never heard, a large pounding sound, like a fist, slammed into something hard, and Roger screamed, "Dammit, Watari, that young boy thinks of you as his father, WAKE UP, PLEASE! You and I both know his life is at stake, and possibly the lives of every single child here at Wammy's! What if Beyond somehow lives and makes his way to England, what then!? Can you answer me THAT?! Because I will NOT let you jeopardize L Lawliet's life and the lives of every single person here at Wammy's just because you cannot seem to get over your horrid guilt trip!"

There was silence coming from the room just as Matt came out from his bedroom, rubbing his eyes sleepily, glaring at Near with anger, and Mello with confusion.

"...Look, Watari, I...I did not mean to shout, and I hope I have not woken the children. Poor things…I have a feeling that none of them know what is going-…What?"

"…Mells, what's going-"

"SHH Matt!" Mello hushed the red-head, who just rolled his eyes, and crouched next to his best friend; their albino companion followed suit, despite Mihael trying to push him away.

"…Why, Quillish, that's crazy. I've made sure that none of them know about L-…Haha, Wammy, really, you cannot be serious, who would write such a letter-…Wait, what?"

"…Mihael, is the part where we say the word "busted"?"

The blonde boy just gritted his teeth, and turned his ear back to the door,

"Wammy, why would they-…No, really, why would they-...Okay, yes, they love L, and if somehow, they were able to find out what happened-QUILLISH! I am not ignorant and stupid enough to make the mistake of letting this information be leaked! …What? No…Watari, please, I-…You…really think so then, don't you? Look, why don't I check my e-mails, yes? I should have a sent copy of your e-mail, correct? And I'll read it."

Typing of keys on a keyboard were heard in the following minutes, and then a silence came that was all too ominous in the Keehl boy's ears, ending with a meek and soft "Oh my God…"

"Dammit, I think we're so busted…" Mello grumbled as Roger continued with,

"Watari! That…that wording…It…It has to be one of them, I cannot…How? Why? And who exactly-NEAR?! Why would Near do such a-…Mello, yes, of course. And both love L…and Matt? Perhaps…Those three would be the most likely to write and construct such a plan. Do I think this is phony...Actually, Watari, I do not. Nate would never just write such an important letter with such a delicate topic unless he was serious, and even Mihael and Mail would fall into that category, would you not agree?"

"I'm so hiding, NOW." Matt whispered, and ran down the hall, leaving the white and yellow haired children at the door, Mello's face a twisting expression of cursing himself, and some fear, though the boy would always deny it.

"Yes, please, Watari, investigate that electronic letter. The boys WILL dislodge any information they have unto my person, I shall make them. And if this IS false, they shall be severely punished. But now that I look at it again...these names, these aliases of Beyond...they are the ones that I had put on Wammy's official website awhile ago. Perhaps the boys researched them? …Yes, Yes, I agree. Alright, I want you to call me back as soon as you find out anything new. Yes, goodbye. And forgive my previous words, dear friend."

Click…And there went the phone conversation….And then came a tired sigh from the other side of the door, from Roger himself; a small curse followed, along with the sliding of a chair back, and footsteps began to slither towards Mello closer and before he could make any moves-

"HEY!" The young one whispered as a pale and, surprisingly, fast Nate River pulled him down the hallway, not stating a word as the door to Roger's office opened just as they turned the hallway corner, "Don't tug so hard!"

"Do you want to be caught or not?"

"You prick, he already **knows** it was us! He figured it out, and-"

"And we can hide a little longer, yes? Think of what we're to say, now Mello, for once in your life, shut you little mouth!"

Near flung open the nearest door, the hall closet, and shoved Mihael inside, then running into the space as well, shutting the door as quietly as he could.

"Damn, Near, did you grow a backbone?" Mello snorted, "You've never talked to anyone like that."

"…Yes. But friends speak to each other honestly, and I hope you consider us to be in that category, Mihael, especially after all of this." And then, to the shock (not horror) of the blue-eyed child, Nate held out his snow-white hand, asking for a sealing handshake.

"Psh, who said **I** was **your** friend?"

"…I did."

Mihael's eyes nearly bugged out like a mutated ant, "E-Excuse ME?"

"…I did. I said, say, you are my friend."

"Well, it IS a two-way street, pal."

"…Mello, really, do you hate me as much as you claim to?"

The blonde, future bombshell, went silent, staring at Near while waves of weird and various emotions washed over his face, "…No."

"Then…?" Near trailed off and after a moment, Mello groaned, and grabbed the snowman-like boy's hand in his own, shaking it roughly, muttering,

"Fine. Friends. Happy now?"

"…Content, yes…Don't friends hug-?"

"NO!!" Mello screamed accidentally, which caused the albino with quick reflexes to shove the blonde back against the closet wall, clamping a pale hand over the chocolate-eater's mouth, hushing him angrily,

"Are you EVER silent? At ALL? Really, Mello…"

"Mmphmhm!"

"…Be quiet. I am serious."

"HMM?! MMPHM!"

"I have not an idea as to what you are trying to say, and I shall not try to decipher what you are-"

"MMPHM!"

"…" Near just gave the blonde a confused look, Mello glaring at him angrily…but then the young one in black clothing's eyes widen, not in rash hurt, or anger, but fear, and the white-locked child's look took on a more prominent tone, "Mello, I'm not going to hurt you, but I AM keeping my mouth there, until you learn to remain silent. Do you want Roger to find us before we can think of something convincing to say-"

A throat behind Near cleared roughly, and the synonymous-to-a-snowman boy paled even further, his gray-midnight eyes widening.

"…Something convincing to say, Near?"

"…" Near turned slightly, murmuring, "Hello Roger."

Nate made a mental note, in that silent moment, to have his hearing checked; for the closet door had opened silently, very silently, and there stood Roger Ruvie, a hard look set upon his weary and aged face, and in his left hand, held firmly, was Mail Jeevas' own arm, a sheepish (not to mention guilty) grin on his face, Matt's free hand coming up to scratch his ruffled ruby-red locks.

"…You three have a lot of explaining to do. NOW."

"…Can I practice my animal calls before we go to your office, Roger, I-"

"NO, Matt, you may do no such thing."

Mello snorted at the comment, but let out a yelp of surprise when Roger grabbed his other arm, roughly tugging it out of the closet, as the caretaker gave a steely look at Near, a gaze that beckoned the youngest one to follow.

"Hey, Mello, there's one good thing about this."

"Psh, what Matt?"

"You finally came out of the closet! Congrats!"

"…Shut up with the damn puns before I hurt you."

Mello himself made a mental note to hide Matt's new "Katamari Damacy" game after this was all over.

OoOoOooOOooOooOOoooOooOOoOOoOOo

**Beyond's Warehouse, Eight-Thirty A.M**

OooOooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooOooO

"Eat them, Lawliet."

"…"

"Lawliet…" B's voice took on a disgruntled tone, "I went through all the trouble of stealing those eggs for you, so you could have a decent breakfast for ONCE in your life, now eat them."

Lawliet poked the eggs, scrambled, lightly dusted with pepper, with his sliver fork, staring at the mass of yellow on the paper plate.

"Wha? C'mon, you've never had eggs before?"

"…I have never been fond of eating a food that comes out of the anal cavity of a foul…"

"…Ew, nice description, Darwin…what animal-food pair are you going to describe next? Cows and milk?"

"No, I actually enjoy that once and a while; a break from my traditional coffee, tea-MMPH!"

Beyond had taken the swift and fleeting moment when L was talking, thus having his mouth open, to grab the fork from the detective, and shove a few pieces of egg into the normally-sweet mouth.

Lawliet was far from pleased, but chewed and swallowed the substance, grumpily stating afterward, "WHY did you do THAT?!"

"Because you need to EAT, dumb ass. Look at you, you're extremely skinny; those eggs will give you more protein and energy. Does someone have to teach you how to have a proper diet, because really, no one HAS."

The raven pouted, and begrudgingly took another bite of the scrambled food, huffing softly, but that action only made the killer smirk, and plop down on the floor across from the older of the two.

"Now eat the rest, or will I have to FEED you the rest?"

"For your information, I am extremely far from being a-MMPH!?!"

More eggs entered mouth of said "child."

"STOP THAT!"

"Psh, fine. Then eat them. NOW. Or I won't give you the cake I…got as well."

"…You bastard, you bought that just to bribe myself with, didn't you?" L cast a haughty glance at his copy.

"Huh? Me…Never!" The last word was drawn out in such a sarcastic manner, that Beyond could not help but laugh at his own joke. "Okay, **maybe** I did. But I have to think of it as that I am taking care of some child; some odd and…enigmatic child, but a kid all the same. Since that's pretty much how you are with your eating habits, Lawli."

The raven commented no further, except for a stubborn grunt, and returned to the scrambled eggs in front of him.

"Besides, L, I did get you other…gifts besides eggs and cake."

"…?" Lawliet silently stared blankly at the younger man, a questioning glimmer in his eyes, "…Gifts?"

"Yes." B stated no more, but Lawliet's curiosity needed to be satiated.

"Care to give details-"

"No. Eat."

"..." L remained pouting, but grudgingly ate the final scraps of eggs settled upon his dish, and then placed it to the side, near the edge of the mattress, "Tell me NOW."

"Aw, but where's the surprise in that, L?"

"…You're so mean and rude to-MMPH?! STOP THAT!"

"Hehe, but this time it was not eggs that I put into and on your lips, eh?"

L blushed, the surprise, swift kiss from the copy stunning his senses, the detective only choosing to cross his arms, and direct his hard stare at the ground; Beyond took the moments of silence to not mean anything foreboding or bad, so he scooted closer to the older one. The killer tentatively reached out a hand, twining his fingers in ebony locks of Lawliet lightly, neither of them speaking a word; it was only when B's fingers trailed down to the nape and back of L's neck did the detective's shoulders slump in relaxation, the hard pout dissipating into a blank state of contentment, with a tiny, almost microscopic smile plastered upon the raven's face.

"Like that?"

"Mmm…" The hum was all L chose to reply with.

"…You're…" Beyond did not finish his statement, choosing instead to glance away, feeling a heat grow in his body like a vivacious and annoying weed.

"Hmm? What, B?"

"…You're just…Ah, I don't know…Sorta cute when you're all relaxed like that…A nice change from…well…you know…"

Lawliet nodded as the killer continued to caress his hair in a feathery manner; there was a silence that grew between them, but it seemed to not hold the awkwardness it once did. Perhaps because there was no fear in L's mind at this time, nor any tenseness in his bones? Who was to say really; but the motions of that usually-bloody hand lulled the detective into a state of calm euphoria, and in turn, he felt his body move, coming to lay his head upon the younger one's shoulder.

"Changes have been happening more recently, have they not?" L piped up after another moment of quiet, his midnight eyes at half-mast, his soul and mind being kept in that aura of serenity by Beyond's touch.

"Yeah…Can't really complain though…"

_Even though all of this was far from expected…_

"You can't? You sure, for you've taken on me, you know…as a burden."

"What do you mean?" The killer glanced at the older man as if the genius had lost his mind, which could have possibly happened, in B's mind; hell, they probably both have lost their minds at this point in the game.

"…I'm alive."

"Duh, unless you're a freaking zombie, but you don't smell, so I find that unlikely; what's your point, Lawli?"

"You have to do so much for me because you left me alive-"

"NO. Uh-uh, wrong." Beyond shook his head and hands simultaneously, "Not 'have to', but 'want to'; I** want** to do things for you since you're alive. You realize there is a difference, yeah?"

"…But it just...seems highly unlikely that…one would want to do things for me…"

"Because no one has in the past, save Watari?"

The raven nodded somberly, "Why would one waste their precious time and resources on myself?"

"Because you're you. You're human, L, people would want to cherish that you're living and breathing. Yeah, not everyone would want to do or give the same types of things that I do, but hey, they all recognize that you are alive, right?"

"…" Lawliet remained silent, turning his head away, which only caused B to place his own appendages and fingers on the pasty, thinly-framed face of the detective, turning it so they were once more eye-to-eye.

"L…What's wrong? Why are you bringing this up now? Why-"

"Because…I…What you said there…about people recognizing that I am alive….that does not happen. They recognize L the Detective is alive, but myself? Me? Just **Lawliet**? No….I do not get that same recognition. If I was to walk down those streets, do you know what would happen? All I would receive would be stares, stares at my looks, my mannerisms. Granted, I rarely go out now, but when I was younger…before I was officially L, it...it occurred more often that one would believe."

"...They looked at you like you were some sort of freak, didn't they?" B stated softly, Lawliet replying with a nod.

"Yes, they did. Humanity never seemed to enjoy my presence, unless L was saving them...Even then, many wanted the police themselves to get involved, not someone who hid behind a screen, who tried to better himself with just as much vigor that he had when it came to putting away criminals."

"…Are you telling me this now because you…find it unlikely that I look upon you the same way?"

"…You say you love me, and-"

"…And?"

_And I do not doubt that…_Were the silent words wafting about the brain of the insomniac.

"And I...I am just…frightened. By your humanity that no one has shown me…by those words, by ALL of it. I am unsure how to act, no one has ever told me, taught me, how to behave in this situation."

"…" Beyond Birthday remained silent, still holding the older male's head gently in his bony hands, whispering in a comforting tone, "Hey, no one ever taught me this sort of shit either, L…You think I'm more knowledgeable right now?" The killer gave a chuckle before continuing, "...We've both not known how to behave in these situations before, Lawliet, I just...know a little more because I've been exposed to it before, I've been in situations where I see more human interaction. So...let me just teach you everything, 'kay?"

"What if I don't understand any of this?"

"…You will, Lawli, you're a genius." B grinned, poking the temple of the detective playfully, "And c'mon...just look inside yourself if you get confused about something, alright?"

_I already do that, Beyond, and it just makes me more confused…_

"Alright, I'm just…afraid, Beyond…"

BB's grin stayed in place, but he whispered softly, his lips not even inches away from Lawliet's, "Join the club, sweetheart, join the club; you think I'm so fucking brave? Do you? Because I'll tell you something I've never told anyone else in my life...Sometimes I'm just as afraid as a whiny little kid would be…And this is one of those times, L."

"Everything I've just told you, Beyond," L continued after a moment of silence, "I have not told another soul as well…"

"Yeah? Figured." A dark chuckle came from the killer, who then, not a moment later, rested his forehead against Lawliet's, "I don't want you to be scared, L. I'm going to take care of you from now on."

"…How can you? You know...You…I..."

"…" B stayed silent, only choosing to tenderly kiss the raven's forehead, "I'm sure something will work out…If you want it to work out as well."

"…I…I…I do not know…"

"Hey, don't rush it; you'll gain that knowledge in time…"

_If__** I**__ don't run out of time first, L…_

"Now, how about those gifts, Beyond?"

The wielder of the Eyes laughed once more, "You never forget about anything do you? Alright come on, but here…it's a surprise, so you're going to be putting this on." A hand wiggled into an old denim jeans pocket, pulling out a dark-maroon blindfold; L stiffened at the sight of the cloth, a haunting shiver of past events ticking away in his mind, but eventually that nervousness waned. For B stepped closer, softly, using one hand at first to caress the elder one's face, and then swiftly tying the blindfold over ebony-gray eyes.

"Can you see anything?"

L shook his head mutely; only to give a 'meep' of surprise when B placed a chaste kiss on his snowy, thin lips.

"Good, now you should enjoy this. You'll enjoy this a lot, Lawli-pop."

OooOOOOOOOOooOOOOOooooooO

Lawliet knew Beyond was walking him somewhere, but the destination was far from known in the raven's mind. His bare feet touched cold, metal floorings, his ears swiftly catching the sounds of multiple doors opening, and eventually Beyond helped him up a flight of stairs, the squeaks and creaks catching in the ear-drums of the insomniac.

Finally, B spoke up with "We're here." and a doorknob squeaked and turned, a clicking sound, similar to that of a light switch, echoed out, and with a swoosh, the blindfold barring Lawliet's sight fell to the ground.

"Hope you like them, I wasn't exactly sure what you favor when it comes to books, but I thought these people would be nice for you, Lawliet."

…Books.

Stacks of books lined the small room, some collecting dust, some newer, as if they had just been unwrapped. A light bulb with no shade hung in the middle of the ceiling, while a tiny window in the upper right corner let some natural sunlight into the room. A quilt that looked extremely worn, but still comfortable, lay splashed out on the metal floor, intricate designs flowing in block patterns; people, flowers, tiny homes, smiling faces, rainbows, and more lit up the quilt, but L could discern a blood spot or two on the fabric, and inwardly chuckled, for it seemed nothing was spared some form of bloody treatment if it was in Beyond's hands.

"…Amazing…how did you get all of these?"

There had to be at least twenty to thirty books in the room, Lawliet tried to count them, but was too fascinated by their appearance in the warehouse to keep a straight and constant thought.

Beyond just shrugged, "Over the years, I've 'collected' them if you get my drift. Some were even from Wammy's. But see those over there?" B pointed to a stack of five books, all clean and pristine, "I just got those this morning for you. You can have them all though, I haven't had a lot of time to read them. So whenever you want to read one, just let me know, and we can come here, or I'll bring you one."

Lawliet could not help but give a tiny smile, "That is very kind of you, Beyond."

The killer was blushing, no amount of masking it could hide it, "I just…I just…"

_I just want you to love me…_

"I just want to be nice to you, is all…" Was what Beyond stated instead.

"…Come here, I shall read to you."

"?!" B's confusion was evident on his face, "W-What?"

"You read to me, now I shall read to you."

A shining smile graced the face of the killer, and he ran like a child at Christmas to the quilt, sitting down upon it while Lawliet brought over a mass amount of books.

"I'm sorry there isn't much else we can do, Lawli…I don't want you bored…But-"

"I understand, Beyond." L replied, scooting right next to his captor; his captor, choosing, at the last moment, to lay his head upon Lawliet's shoulder as the detective opened a book, "Do you like Emily Bronte? I chose her first."

"Mmm, that's fine."

And soon, a deep, monotone entered the small room, in such a soothing way, that Beyond could not help but sigh as Lawliet read,

_"I am the only being whose doom  
No tongue would ask no eye would mourn  
I never caused a thought of gloom  
A smile of joy since I was born_

_In secret pleasure - secret tears  
This changeful life has slipped away  
As friendless after eighteen years  
As lone as on my natal day_

_There have been times I cannot hide  
There have been times when this was drear  
When my sad soul forgot its pride  
And longed for one to love me here…"_

As L read, he felt one of Beyond's hands go up into his black tresses, softly caressing them, and his scalp; the older man let out a content sigh as he continued on, 

_"But those were in the early glow  
Of feelings since subdued by care  
And they have died so long ago  
I hardly now believe they were_

_First melted off the hope of youth  
Then Fancy's rainbow fast withdrew  
And then experience told me truth  
In mortal bosoms never grew_

_'Twas grief enough to think mankind  
All hollow servile insincere -  
But worse to trust to my own mind  
And find the same corruption there…"_

"That was pretty, if a little dark, Lawliet…" B commented when the other was done, "The first part really reminded me of you, though."

"Hmm?"

"'No tongue would ask, no eye would morn, I never caused a thought of gloom, a smile of joy since I was born'…And then the part about 'friendless after eighteen years'…It all sort of fits you, doesn't it? Or at least in the past it did."

"…Perhaps…" L mumbled, picking up another book, "More, then?"

"Yeah, you kidding? It's nice to just hear your voice, L…" There was a smile on Beyond's face that conveyed such feelings that he, L, the World's Greatest Detective could not help but shiver inwardly, for he could still not understand those feelings completely, nor their affect on him; with that in mind, Lawliet opened up to the next poem,

_"There is a panther stalks me down:  
One day I'll have my death of him;  
His greed has set the woods aflame,  
He prowls more lordly than the sun.  
Most soft, most suavely glides that step,  
Advancing always at my back;  
From gaunt hemlock, rooks croak havoc:  
The hunt is on, and sprung the trap.  
Flayed by thorns I trek the rocks,  
Haggard through the hot white noon.  
Along red network of his veins  
What fires run, what craving wakes?_

_Insatiate, he ransacks the land  
Condemned by our ancestral fault,  
Crying: blood, let blood be spilt;  
Meat must glut his mouth's raw wound.  
Keen the rending teeth and sweet  
The singeing fury of his fur;  
His kisses parch, each paw's a briar,  
Doom consummates that appetite.  
In the wake of this fierce cat,  
Kindled like torches for his joy,  
Charred and ravened women lie,  
Become his starving body's bait."_

Beyond let out a purring noise at the mention of a 'panther', even though he knew it to have metaphoric meanings; as he snuggled against Lawliet's pale neck, the older one smiled, continuing on with,

_"Now hills hatch menace, spawning shade;  
Midnight cloaks the sultry grove;  
The black marauder, hauled by love  
On fluent haunches, keeps my speed.  
Behind snarled thickets of my eyes  
Lurks the lithe one; in dreams' ambush  
Bright those claws that mar the flesh  
And hungry, hungry, those taut thighs.  
His ardor snares me, lights the trees,  
And I run flaring in my skin;  
What lull, what cool can lap me in  
When burns and brands that yellow gaze?_

_I hurl my heart to halt his pace,  
To quench his thirst I squander blook;  
He eats, and still his need seeks food,  
Compels a total sacrifice.  
His voice waylays me, spells a trance,  
The gutted forest falls to ash;  
Appalled by secret want, I rush  
From such assault of radiance.  
Entering the tower of my fears,  
I shut my doors on that dark guilt,  
I bolt the door, each door I bolt.  
Blood quickens, gonging in my ears:_

_The panther's tread is on the stairs,  
Coming up and up the stairs."_

"…That one was fairly dark too, L."

"Well, you are the one who got these books for me, yes? You are lucky I am not asking you how you came about to obtain them."

"…Uh…Well, when I went out to get you your food, I sort of snuck into a bookstore, and-"

"BEYOND."

"…Okay, okay, yeah, you already know, so I won't say anymore. Can you read more to me?"

"Of course. You have chosen wonderful authors, very impressive." L stated as he reached over for another large book of wondrous words.

"We learned about the majority of them in Wammy's; they always taught us good English there, good literature too."

"Mmm, yes, that I remember clearly. Ah…how about this one?"

"Whatever you wish, Lawli, your book, your choice…"

_"Thou knowest all; I seek in vain  
What lands to till or sow with seed -  
The land is black with briar and weed,  
Nor cares for falling tears or rain._

_Thou knowest all; I sit and wait  
With blinded eyes and hands that fail,  
Till the last lifting of the veil  
And the first opening of the gate._

_Thou knowest all; I cannot see.  
I trust I shall not live in vain,  
I know that we shall meet again  
In some divine eternity."_

"…Eternity…"

"Hmm? What is it B?" The two had gone silent after L had finished reading the short poem, Beyond only muttering that lone word.

"Do you believe in an eternity, Lawli?"

"…I would have to say no," The other replied, "God has never existed to me up until this point, and even know I still highly doubt his existence. But sometimes…I wonder if there is something up there. Some...holy deity playing with our lives. Like some twisted chess game, or even not as a game, but just playing with us. Weaving threads that take us to our actions and instances."

"You once mentioned nothingness, L…"

"Indeed, I did, for I have always believed that is where a soul shall go once he is dead; nothingness. Perhaps it is all dark, blackness, or maybe all white, who knows. None of the dead have come back to tell us, now have they? So there may be a Heaven and Hell, there may not be."

"Hey, I'll take that 'nothingness' over a heaven-hell deal ANY day." B scoffed, settling more comfortably next to the man he loved. "'Cuz you know if that was the whole deal,** I'd** go to the bottom, **you'd **go to the top."

"Really now?"

"…Yes. That's how it would be L, and you know it. And I'd be alone again…"

"…I would be too, you know." L murmured quietly, reaching over for another book, but Beyond heard those six words, and his head shot up, stating,

"What was that?"

"…I would be lonely as well, if that was to occur."

"Really…?" A tiny smile blossomed upon the face of BB, and in turn, L found himself smiling, nodding, only to make B ask another question, "Why?"

"…You told myself earlier that you were going to teach me many things about how human interactions work, but you really already have, Beyond. And I have come to realize that your company has been quite enjoyable these past few days; perhaps not those earlier days, but more recently…I look forward to seeing you. You have already taught me the value of sheer needed companionship, and how isolation can hinder oneself."

"…I have taught you that, haven't I?"

Lawliet nodded, "You have already taught me many a lesson, and I thank you for it. No matter what happens…I shall never forget this time, or you…or how you have been one of the few people on this Earth to actually care about L Lawliet, not just L."

B grinned, and with one snow-white hand, cupped L's cheek, speaking softly, "Hey…I more than just care about you, Lawli-Pop."

The detective gave a light blush, nodding, mumbling, "I know…"

"I was the first one to really show any love to you, wasn't I? Besides your parents, I mean."

"…Yes."

"I was the first to teach you what real love was about, right?"

"…Yes. And since when were YOU such a romantic, Beyond?" L chuckled, causing his copy to pout, grumbling,

"Old bastard…"

"OLD?"

"…You're sexy for an old man, L."

"OLD?!"

"…I love you?"

"…"

"…What?"

"…Nothing." Somehow, every time, those words from Beyond Birthday always caused L Lawliet to not only be silenced, but to be surprised enough to forget any anger or pitiful pouts directed towards the younger man. Those three little words; some said they were 'said too much, but not enough', and Lawliet wondered if that was true. For they were spewed out so often, they lost their meaning, but here, with Beyond, when he spoke them...they were sincere each time, and there was so much feeling within them. For BB wanted L to believe them to be true, yes? That was what the detective thought, that explained the ways B stated those words.

"Laaaawli, stop staring into space and read me one more, please?"

"Hmm?"

"What were you daydreaming about?"

"…Nothing."

"That means you were dreaming about porn."

"WHAT?!" The normally stoic man shouted loudly, his face turning as red as a beet. "S-Shut up!"

"Oooh, were you dreaming about this ass of mine?" The killer even took the moment to stand up and wiggle said body part fairly close to Lawliet's person, and face. "You like it don't you?"

_…M-Maybe I do…_L was NOT going to admit THAT just yet.

"B-BEYOND! Stop that, stop acting like a child!"

"KYAHAHAHA! Oh, man, you're such a stiff the majority of the time, ya know that?"

"Shut up! I am NOT!"

"C'mon, you REALLY need to laugh more, L!"

"I do not! I laugh enough as it is-"

"Which is never."

"STOP interrupting me. As I stated, I already laugh enough as it is, and I am in a position NOT to laugh too much. My life is no game, Beyond."

"…Well…You're not totally absorbed in your life NOW…so…"

"So? What are you-AHHH! BEYOND! HAHAHA!!! STOP!!"

A devilish copy began to viciously tickle the older man, whose bony arms flailed about like a fish needing water, his legs doing the synonymous action, while his skin shivered in excitement; all the while, Beyond just laughed that classic cackle, his hands non-stopping in their motions of joyful teasing.

"S-STOP! AHAHAHA! Oh, BEYOND, COME ON!!"

"Kyahahahaha! NEVER! I want to hear you LAUGH until it HURTS, Lawli-Pop!"

Lawliet groaned with withering strength, the force of fight fleeing him, "Aw, Biyondi, come ON…"

"BIYONDI?"

"Mm, like Biyondi-CHAN…"

B growled, and yelled, "SHUT UP!", his face bright red with the tint of embarrassment, and his tickling increased, with the addition of a playful spanking or two on the derrière.

"HEY! Ahh, stop that! Come on, Beyond, I was k-kidding, and OH! AH! COME ON!"

"Mmm, Lawli likes getting spanked, doesn't he?"

"N-No I do not! I…I…STOP!"

"Mmm…Sure you don't sweetheart…" That hand of a killer caressed Lawliet's bum lightly, "You like my ass, I like yours, so let's-"

"BEYOND…"

The copy sighed, "Fine, fine Mr. I-Have-No-Fun…I'll stop." There was a playful smirk tugging at B's lips as he got up off of the man he loved, who sat up, "But you can read me one more, please?"

"…Alright, which one-!!"

Before L could respond, BB had lowered the detective's legs so that they were flat on the ground, like a normal person's sitting position, and the killer lowered his head onto the lap of the older man, "Okay, go on, and just choose one."

"Um…" L could feel his body heating up at the close contact between him and his former successor, but tried to push it to the back of his mind, far away, as if he was locking it in a bank's safe, "Alright, here…I found one." And L began once more, with…

_"It was many and many a year ago,  
In a kingdom by the sea,  
That a maiden there lived whom you may know  
By the name of ANNABEL LEE;--  
And this maiden she lived with no other thought  
Than to love and be loved by me.  
She was a child and I was a child,  
In this kingdom by the sea,  
But we loved with a love that was more than love--  
I and my Annabel Lee--  
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven  
Coveted her and me. "_

Lawliet could feel a heated stare coming from his copy, those ruby orbs staring right at his face, his lips, his own eyes, but the detective continued on, trying not to let that heated gaze bother him so.

_"And this was the reason that, long ago,  
In this kingdom by the sea,  
A wind blew out of a cloud by night  
Chilling my Annabel Lee;  
So that her high-born kinsman came  
And bore her away from me,  
To shut her up in a sepulchre  
In this kingdom by the sea._

_The angels, not half so happy in Heaven,  
Went envying her and me:--  
Yes! that was the reason (as all men know,  
In this kingdom by the sea)  
That the wind came out of a cloud, chilling  
And killing my Annabel Lee."_

Now there was a hand sneaking up the back of L Lawliet, rubbing it through his worn cotton fabric shirt, the whiteness of it having been dirtied over the past few days, days of heaven, days of hell. Again, the older male, the raven man, continued on, but he leaned into the touch of the copy, the gentle fingers massaging his worn back muscles as he further read on, the poem of Poe echoing out in the room, the images of a woman killed by jealousy shining behind the eyes of both men. 

_"But our love it was stronger by far than the love  
Of those who were older than we--  
Of many far wiser than we-  
And neither the angels in Heaven above,  
Nor the demons down under the sea,  
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul  
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee:--_

_For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams  
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;  
And the stars never rise but I see the bright eyes  
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;  
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side  
Of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride,  
In her sepulchre there by the sea--  
In her tomb by the side of the sea."_

As Lawliet closed the book and placed it aside, there was silence between the two of them, the copy and the original creation. It was not until Beyond lifted his head and stared right into the midnight eyes of the detective that any words were spoken.

"L…"

"…Yes, Beyond?"

"…I want to be your…A-Annabel Lee…"

"…You want to be a maiden who lives by the sea? Who wears dresses-OW!"

B had scowled, and had grabbed the book of Edgar Allen Poe poetry, smacking the twenty-four year old upside the head.

"NO, you moron. Seriously, are you REALLY the World's Greatest Detective?" BB snorted in contempt, "No…I want…I want to be the one who…lives 'with no other thought than to love and be loved by'…you…"

"…" Lawliet blushed, smiling though, like a shy school-child, "W-Well, I…You…"

"Shh…There's an old maxim that I know of, L…" B scooted closer, the two men still eye-to-eye, and lips so near each other, the distance could barely be measured in millimeters.

"Yeah? What is it?" L felt his voice drop to a whisper, and so did B, who replied with,

"Silence is golden."

Lips crashed onto one another in a soothing manner, but the feisty aura that usually inhabited Beyond Birthday's blood picked up right away, taking over, and soon tongues began to battle and swirl around and against one another, and two strong hands of a demon-like killer pushed the older male he loved back against the quilt, L's hands coming up swiftly to encircle the neck of BB; BB's own hands trailed up under the detective's shirt, caressing supple, pale skin, making the insomniac groan in a lusty manner.

"Heh…if silence is golden, I wonder what you could call that noise, L…Diamond-like, maybe?" B whispered as his lips began to trail all along the raven's face, kissing not too gently, but more possessively, roughly, fiery.

"...D-Don't know…Ah…B-Beyond…"

Heat was swimming in the veins of the detective, his eyes having to close at half-mast due to the pleasure coursing through his body at such a rapid speed, it was downright frightening. L was becoming aroused, and it was partially embarrassing, but scarier; for Lawliet had never felt this way before, in all of his years on this Earth, in this universe or galaxy.

Beyond let out a growl of dominance as his lips trailed to the insomniac's neck, biting and sucking, starting out fairly sweet and sane, but of course, in classic Beyond Birthday fashion, his eagerness turned him down a more forceful and rougher path, his nips becoming full on bites, with teeth sinking into skin, making L not scream in agony, but in pleasure this time around, the raven arching his back as his own hand and fingers sunk into the shoulders of the copy, who now straddled him, whose hips crashed against the raven's, who he himself made his own hips bump into B's, without a care in the world.

Yes, now, in this moment, there was not a care in the world for L Lawliet…

L the Detective had disappeared for the moment, for the temporary amount of time…

Only L Lawliet existed, which was a rarity in itself; for since Watari had rescued the young man from the Hell he had endured, there had been L the Detective and L Lawliet, and over time, there had only come to be L the Detective, L Lawliet vanishing more and more often.

But Beyond…Oh, Beyond…

Beyond had resurrected the L Lawliet, making the one persona become two once more…There was now the human L Lawliet once more…

L was regaining his humanity…remembering human nature…And…

Learning many parts of human nature for the very first time…

Like kissing…Like loving…Those were all new features of human life Beyond was teaching L…

Lawliet did not want to ponder over what he would be at this very moment had Beyond not even kidnapped him in the first place…Would he still be cold? Never laugh at all? Never smile? Never need another person to help him, be with him? He remembered how he had never even considered the majority of the human race viable and worthy of his time, but that was due to the human race not caring about him, other than L the Detective. Perhaps that sort of behavior had pushed the true L even farther away, but now…NOW that someone was caring and loving not just L the World's Greatest Detective, L the Genius, L the Hero, but L Lawliet the skinny, sweets-loving, rarely-sleeping human, the man.

It was almost as if the human part of L was being redeemed…

The raven did not recall when his shirt had been removed by Beyond, but he did not mind, for rosy lips of rich red descended upon a snow-white blanket of skin, marking the body it belonged too, leaving tiny bite marks like that of a creature, but a loving creature, who was possessive, marking what was there's. L groaned at the ministrations, his gangly back arching even more, his skin gather sheens of sweat upon itself. Violent hues of ruby flushed upon L's face and body as Beyond continued to kiss his chest roughly, hotly, and eventually taking a pert nipple into his mouth, making Lawliet moan sweetly, as sweet as the sugar on a powdered doughnut.

The heat of the room was escalating to a degree L had never encountered before. Somewhere along the way, B's own top garment had been removed, and now two bare chests collided with one another, two bodies panting softly as BB continued to grind his hips into Lawliet's, the killer's face buried in the raven's neck as he whined in pleasure, as their now more fully-aroused arousals touched each other through denim. The detective's hands were fisted into Beyond's scalp, midnight locks being tugged on, but not extremely roughly. Sometimes lips would caress the older one's neck with butterfly kisses, making Lawliet shiver even more so.

But when a hand traveled down to touch L's clothed groin, the detective let out a whine of apprehension, his body tensing slightly, and Beyond, though in a fog of arousal, was astute enough to notice the change, especially when Lawliet's hands tightened their grip, and were, in a way, pushing BB away.

"Ugh…L…W-Wait…" B ground out, trying to clear his head, and sat up, getting off of the still shell-shocked raven, "You're...not ready to go this far, I can just tell. Heh…At least you're responding…" A smirk played on the killer's lips as he eyed the visible erection coming from the older man.

"…Beyond, I-"

"Hush…" Beyond placed a lone finger upon the detective's lips, "I can tell you are not ready, you're still nervous. And I can't push you away…"

_It's like that little apparition told me…I can't pressure him to love me…I can't pressure him in any situation…I can wait, even if my body can't…_

"...B-But…"

"L...Think about it, you're really not ready for a large step like that, are you? Even IF we don't...go all the way, are you ready for…you know, full nudity? Or…what that may lead to? Because with all of that removed…who knows, my inebriations...or whatever they're called…they might loosen and I might not be able to control myself, and then…well…"

B trailed off, and Lawliet remained silent, for they both knew the correct answer:

No, L was not ready. Not to go that far yet. Kissing was one thing, cuddling, hugging, that was too, but baring everything like that…? And possibly leading to a deeper…connection…? No; that thought still scared Lawliet, especially since past events were still playing in his mind often, more often than he wished they would.

"Just rest...I'll…Um, I'll go take care of this…" B mumbled, fairly embarrassed, and Lawliet watched him leave the room; the raven knew what business he was going to attend, and a pit formed in L's stomach, not just of guilt, but of worry.

Guilt, for he knew Beyond wanted him like that; he could see it in those garnet eyes, those shining smiles that appeared brightly, but were sometimes fleeting. But the guilt stemmed from the thought that Lawliet was not ready to give himself to B.

…Giving himself to B…S-Since when had that been an idea in the first place?! That was where the worry was coming from...

L did not know the answer to that question though, he just knew something inside of him said, over and over again, 'Give yourself to him', 'Let him have you, love you, MAKE love to you', 'You want him badly, don't you?'

And the raven would, in his head, in the silence of the moments whenever those questions would pop up, answer yes. An undeniable YES.

Something about Beyond had drawn the older one in, not just for loving purposes, but sexually as well. L had gone over and over again the reasons why he would have fallen in love with Beyond, and as the hours passed, he would believe them more and more; sexually though, attractiveness, Lawliet had tried to not bring those sort of reasons and ways up. Twenty-four years without sexual or romantic notions plaguing his body and soul had pushed him away from any prospects of such, but now…

Now he was, so he believed, not only falling in LOVE with the killer, but wanting his body, wanting his kisses, wanting him inside him, have him take him in the most intimate way-

"…Stop it L, stop it." Thoughts like that at this moment were not helping the problem 'downstairs', and Lawliet refused to touch himself, he would not soil himself like so. Besides, what if Beyond was nearby?! And really, hearing the man you love shout out 'Oh, Beyond, take me! Fuck me! Oh, YES' would probably help neither L's situation, nor B's.

The detective groaned; he supposed he could just try to forget about it. Lawliet just decided to lie upon his back, stare at the ceiling, perhaps ponder intelligent matters, maybe math? Science? Something to get his mind off of whatever that gorgeous copy was doing to himself…Was he touching himself? Yes, of course, what else would he be doing…

That image flashed in L's head, and the older man let out another groan; the mantra of 'stop it, L, stop it' played like a broken record. Eventually, moments passed, and as L thought of the goriest cases he had ever solved, his erection did start to pass away, and the raven almost found himself regretting it. He did not…HATE to think those thoughts of Beyond, they were so tempting, delicious in a way, a way that made the older one squirm with anticipation, as images flashed in his mind, the image of a strong, beautiful, sweating Beyond holding his hips, moving inside L's orifice slowly, whispering comforting words, for it would be L's first time…

"…Dear God, what have I become…?" L whispered to the silent room; he could hear footsteps nearby, and the detective hypothesized that Beyond was returning after being away for twenty minutes.

But L knew that answer himself, the answer to the question he had just asked aloud:

He had become Human.

OoooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**Beyond's Warehouse, Five P.M.**

OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoOOOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooOOo

Beyond had returned from his…well, business about the time L had guessed, and for the rest of the day, the two had just laid together upon the worn and bloody quilt, sometimes talking, sometimes reading the books that inhabited the room, or eating the cake that Beyond had bought Lawliet from the shop hours ago. They were silent as well, with BB cuddling up to the other, resting his head on the older male's chest, sometimes his bony hands playing with the raven's dark, natural locks.

But by five in the evening, Beyond had fallen asleep, stating he was just going to close his eyes, take a nap, but was soon out like a light, snoring softly in the quiet room.

It was about this time that Lawliet had noticed that not only did he enjoy that cute snoring, and the closeness of the other male even more so by this point in his 'stay' with Beyond, but he had realized the other had not brought along the handcuffs when he had brought the detective into this room. As a matter of fact, where **were **the handcuffs? L could faintly recall them being near the bed in his room of the warehouse…but other than that, the metal links could not be remembered clearly.

Lawliet wondered about that notion; did Beyond now think it unnecessary to handcuff his 'captive'? Perhaps it was…For…

L did not want to run away from it all anymore…

He knew that if he did, one, the raven would find himself lost in a place he knew nothing about, and two…

He would be breaking Beyond Birthday's heart…

And that thought alone made the bones of the raven shiver, the heart of the older man ache…

For, at some point along the way, Beyond's happiness was part of Lawliet's happiness…

_No, Lawliet…No running away…Even if you're…'free'…Don't run from him…_

_For you know that you need him too…Right now, you need him…_

_And at this rate, you'll probably need him later as well…Need his presence, Need his words…Need his lips, Need his love…_

_Damn, when did you become so needy…? So needy of…_

…_Him…_

_Someone once said, 'Many need to be needed'…Perhaps I am part of that many…_

…_But no matter…I'll stay…I…_

_I'll never run…_

…_I'll wait for him to return me…_

…_That is…if he will…And…_

_If I want to go back…_

L decided to think no more on that last thought, and instead, picked up the nearest book he could grab; Maya Angelou. Strong woman, beautiful poetry; that was indeed the best way to describe her.

But the words began to blur, and Lawliet knew he was growing weary and tired…His eyes tried to focus, but the sleeping body on top of him was helping to draw him into slumber even quicker.

And soon, the dark, ebony eyes grew heavy and the last words they focused on was a stanza of poetry written by the older, famous woman…

…_We are weaned from our timidity  
In the flush of love's light  
we dare be brave  
And suddenly we see  
that love costs all we are  
and will ever be.  
Yet it is only love  
which sets us free…_

And Lawliet would remember those words for the rest of his life…Not just when he was to awaken in a few hours…

OoOoOOoooooOoOoOooOOooOOOOooo

**Raito Yagami's Bedroom, Five-Twenty P.M.**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoOooOOOOOOOooooOoOO

Raito had taken another "day off" from the investigation, much to Soichiro's disapproval, but that was unimportant at this point of the game. Really, what did his father care? What was his father's business in his life? Where was the role?

...Ah…That was Raito's anger at his father talking, the anger that had always been there, his father had never been around that much, and-…

No, no, it did not matter now. None of that stuff mattered now, did it? The brunette was leading his own life, and he vowed he was going to never be like his father; he was going to be around his loved ones as much as he could.

And that was going to include L, no matter what the cost.

It had taken Raito a long while, but he had been able to obtain the phone number to Betouix's flower shop; that was to be Raito's next stop on his quest and journey for the detective.

_81312 Taniji Street…507-321-9813_

_Oh…This is going to be the end of it all, I can just feel it and sense it…_

Kira could hear his Shinigami laughing in the background; Ryuk had been doing that more frequently over the past few days, as if he knew something Raito did not. But every time the young man questioned and interrogated the creature, the ghost, the demi-god, the…whatever the hell you could call the blasted creatures, Ryuk just played it off as if his 'master' was being paranoid, and went on cackling, stating something along the lines of, "Oh, nothing Raito".

But this time, THIS was going to be a successful phone call…No blubbering idiot like Buchwald was, that had been a faulty maneuver on Raito's part. But Kira had scored another blow for justice. Sure, Buchwald had been fairly innocent, but the God of the New World had needed to use him. Sacrifice him.

And sometimes sacrifices had to be made for the sake of God's happiness….Buchwald should be honored if anything.

And with that thought in mind, and a devilish glimmer blossoming like a rose upon Raito's tan face, along with a diabolical glimmer in those sepia eyes…the young man reached for the phone, knowing exactly what he was going to ask dear old Betouix.

Despite any costs that would have to be made…

Despite any sacrifices…

Even if those sacrifices would turn out to be lives…

OoOOoOooOOoOOOoOOooOOOooOOooooOOooooooOoO

A/N: WOW YAY! : D LONG chapter! XD

But I wanted to give you all something nice, since I have not updated in…OVER A MONTH?!?!? JESUS…Sorry about that. I WAS preparing for the ACT exam, and I did pretty great! XD Got a 27 over all, so I am very happy. WOOT, college here I come!

So, anyway, I hope this was worth the wait to you all. We actually have only seven more chapters of this! O_O I outlined the rest of the story, and yes, only seven more chapters. Can you believe it, because I can't! But, the chapters are going to be very detailed, long, and some of the most important of the story.

Again, thanks so much for reading and waiting for this! : D Oh, and PLEASE check out the poll on my webpage! : D It's about what you guys would like to see me write next, in different categories and fandoms! ^^ And I hope you all take a look at Bloody Nightmares of a Strawberry Loving Killer. Thanks again, Love to you all! *HUGS*

Poems in the story:

- Emily Bronte: "I am the only being whose doom..."

- Sylvia Plath: "Pursuit"

- Oscar Wilde: "The True Knowledge"

- Edgar Allen Poe: "Annabel Lee"

- Maya Angelou: "Touched by an Angel"


	15. Masquerade

A/n: Ah, yes, another quicker update of this! XD Why? Well, because we have less that eight chapters left in this story, there are going to be quicker updates, since we're winding down and all! But fear not, these chapters are intense, and hold probably the most important information in the story! : D Thanks go out to all who reviewed, read, and got alerts and favorites for this story and myself, and here we go! Chapter fifteen, please enjoy, as we wind down towards the end of our Bloody Tale. ^^

_OoOOooOOoOoOooOoOooOOoOOOoOOOoOoOoOoooOOoo_

_"These words are razors to my wounded heart."_

_- Titus Andronicus, (Act I, Scene I)_

_OoOOooOOOoooOOOOooooOOOOOoooooOOOOOOooooooO_

_**- Winchester, England, 5:45 A.M.-**_

"Well? I am waiting, boys."

Roger's voice was calm; too calm considering the situation at hand. It had not even been an hour since the three boys had been captured by Roger, taken to his office; there was, and had been, silence among all of them, except Mello, who had demanded some early morning chocolate (for breakfast, what else?) before he would answer any questions.

Now that the sweets were gone, all three sat in a row, Near in the middle, the blonde on his left, the red-head on his right, and a very annoyed elder staring him down with gray eyes and graying hair, seated right in front of them all.

None of the trio knew how to start, so eyes of children kept themselves glued to the ground, heads bowed; even Mello followed suit, for the aura of anger Roger was giving off was shiver-worthy.

"Alright, then, I shall start. Do you three realize the harm you could have done to yourselves? To L? Not only have you violated my privacy by sending an e-mail from my account, you have also hacked into Wammy's website to recover those names and-or aliases. And THEN, one of you, or all three of you, had the gall to send it to Watari! Did it ever occur to any of you that there are others around Watari at the moment who could read that e-mail!? Who could put more lives in danger!? That e-mail is risking so much, do you realize that?! What were you three thinking?!"

"…We were thinking…" Mello grounded out, "About saving L's LIFE! Which is more than you and Mr. Wammy have done! All you two have done is argue and yell and cry back and forth at each other! At least Near, Mail, and I took action!"

"SIT DOWN this instant." The elder spat firmly to the blonde who, in his rage, had stood up so quickly, flinging his chair back with a bang. Mihael complied, gathering up sympathetic glances from his best friends.

"Now…I want to know whose idea this was. All the way back, who came up with this idea? Tell me now."

"…" All three remained silent, for they knew the truth: Mello had been the first one to hear it all, and then the other duo had been roped into the whole situation. If anyone was to get the punishment for this, it was to be Mello and his brain.

"Well? I'm waiting boys."

"…" The chocolate-fiend twiddled his thumbs silently, awaiting for Near to rat him out; oh, he trusted Mail. If anything, the Jeevas boy, if he was ordered to speak up, would state he had done it, or he and Mihael both. That had been their vow since they had been younglings; they would go down with the ship together. No, it was Nate River that bothered the blonde. That whole "friends" speech earlier could have just been a charade, a façade, to get Mello's defenses weakened, and then, BANG! SNAP! The trap would come down and Mihael would be blamed for it all.

"…Boys, if you do not tell me who did this, I will-"

"Hey, can't you just punish us all?" Ah, just as expected. Mail had spoken up, his DS, which he had somehow snuck into the office via his pants pocket, beeping in the background.

"I do plan to do that, but I must know whose idea this was! For he shall be receiving more punishment than I am letting on."

"…" Again, silence wafted in the room; the trio of troublemakers knew not what to say. They were all going down with the ship, but what of Mello? This had been his idea, but…now…

_Might as well turn myself in…That way, I go down with some dignity…_

"…Roger-"

"I did it."

"…" All eyes turned to the albino boy whom had interrupted the blonde; Near sat there, stoic as ever, a pale finger twirling around the locks of snow resting upon his head.

"…N-Nate? Why? Did you not realize-"

"Yes, I did realize the costs, the issues, the risks, but L was more important. Mello found out the news about the same time I did, and I suggested we work together. Matt got roped into it afterward."

Mihael was stunned; no, stupefied, flabbergasted, and paralyzed with awe. Could this be real? Was Nate River really covering for him?

"…Near, do you realize what could have happened? What might have happened!? What if-"

"Roger, really, you're wasting your time talking of the 'what if's', aren't you? Maybe something happened, maybe it did not. But you and I both know if we three had not stepped in, that e-mail would have not gotten sent at the time it did, or perhaps it would not have been sent at all. We took the time to research every single one of those names, not out of being heroes, but we knew that our mentor was in danger. And if that is a reason to punish us, then we have no choice but to go along with it. Though, I find it hardly fair."

"Oh? Do you now?" Roger seemed perturbed at the miniature lecture he had just received from the child, the brainiac child, and a sarcastic smirk was labeled all over his expression.

"We were not doing this to be some saviors, but we knew that L was in danger. Indeed, I won't push away certain facts; we may have put others at risk due to our actions, but what were we to do? Sit here, worrying for God knows how long? Or take action? And you and I both know, Roger, that when you were our age, you would have done the same. And I am sure Mihael and Mail can back myself up with these words."

"…" The elder just sighed, running a hand through his graying and thinning hair. "All of you are to be grounded for what you've done. I just know someone else is going to get hurt because of this; the chances of it are too great. But…" The caretaker trailed off, finally picking up his statement with, "You three did want to do something that would save another life, and I thank you all for that, especially you Near. But I hope you know that I am going to have to punish you. Protocol and all, and Watari would want me to do so."

"Of course, I shall comply accordingly."

"I am going to be taking your toys away for a week, and you three are to be grounded for two weeks; that means no leaving the house whatsoever, understood? Not even to go outside."

All three mutely groaned; the late May sunshine would be all too tempting to the boys who would be stuck inside. But at least Mello would have his chocolate, for he knew that if he had spoken up first, it would be him who would lose his most valuable possession.

"Alright, all of you go back to your rooms. Near, I shall arrive to pick up your toys in ten minutes, understand?"

"Yes, Sir."

The trio left the room in silence, but when they got a little ways past Roger's office, and closer to their rooms, Mihael grabbed the white-locked boy, and shoved him into his own room, Mail standing behind them both in shock as Mello pinned Near against the wall, growling,

"What's the big idea?! **I** was going to take the blame, why'd you have to open your big fat mouth?! And he nearly praised you for leading the whole damn thing; that should've been my chance to speak up!"

Nate returned the snippy comments with a blank stare and a tilt of the head, only to speak up a moment later with, "And? Your point, Mihael?"

"…WHY DID YOU DO IT, YOU WEIRDO!?!"

The scream was loud enough to cause the nearby Jeevas boy to wince, even though he had his headphones on.

"…Because."

"WHAT THE HELL!? WHAT KIND OF REASON IS THAT?!"

"Did you want to be punished for this?"

"NO! But I WOULD have liked to state that it WAS my idea, since it WAS!"

"…Prideful, aren't you? I was trying to do you a favor, Mello." Near spoke blandly, as if he was already bored, which, truthfully, he was. The blonde's screaming could become quite bothersome and dull after a while.

"FAVOR!? I am NOT your lackey, Near! This was all my idea! WHY did you take the blame for it?!"

"…Is that not what friends do? Really, Mello, are you happy I got the blunt of the punishment, or not?"

"…" The Keehl child went mute, pondering what the younger one had drawled out; indeed, he was glad he wasn't getting punished, but the way Near had confessed to everything, and the way Roger responded...it was almost as if the Ruvie man had been proud that they had stood up and tried to help L, but he had mostly been proud of Near for "orchestrating" the entire scheme, which, of course, was a lie.

"...Just go, Near." The chocolate-devourer let the albino with gray eyes go, the youngling with the palest skin staring at Mello.

"…Mello, I did not mean for you to get upset-"

"I SAID just go." Damn, he did not know what to feel; part of Mello was grateful for Near speaking up so he would not get further punished, for now that Mihael thought about it, being a repeating trouble-maker in Wammy's, his punishment, if **he** had spoken up, would probably have been harsher. But there had almost been a glimmer of admiration in Roger's eyes when Near had told the entire tale just moments ago.

"…" Nate did not move though, even after Mihael's second command to do so; there was a troubling look in those dark eyes with their gray-ish tints; after a moment of eerie silence, the blonde spoke up again, with,

"Hey, c'mon, what's your problem, Near? And I said to go, okay? Just go pack up your damn toys, and-!!"

Mihael went into an automatic jaw-drop as he felt two lanky arms, and white hands, encircle his body from behind; ice-blue eyes were in an abashed expression, and the only word the blonde could utter as Near continued to hug him from behind was, "Uh…"

"…I just did not want to see you upset, Mihael. Nor did I want you severely punished. I knew that if I stepped up, my punishment, my individual one, would be less severe than the one you would be most likely to receive. I did not mean to take credit, only the punishment, and I am sorry if it seems like it did. Though, I hardly think Roger was proud of what I did, what we did. Really, Mihael, think on it. Do you truly believe he is proud of what we did?"

"…Maybe not a great amount…B-But-"

"No, he isn't, Mello, and you know it. Maybe a tad bit, because we stood up, and wanted to save someone we cared about, but truthfully? No. Perhaps Watari will be, but you and I both know Roger is rarely proud of us."

"…Yeah…I-I mean, he never talks of us that much anymore…Is it because-"

"Because we're so great in intelligence, our efforts and praise have just become mundane to say."

"…" There was a feeling tugging at Mihael's heartstrings, the fear that had been rising like smog for some time now: that Roger was becoming bored with their success.

"That does not matter, Mello. We both know, and Matt knows, how close we are to achieving greatness. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go pack up my toys for Roger to take."

"…H-Hey Near…" Just as the albino boy was untangling himself from his hold on the blonde, Mello spoke up.

"Hm? Yes, Mello-?!"

Mello grabbed the other into a hug, the hug he had not returned moments ago now being given back, the young Nate River just as shocked as Mello had been moments before.

"…Thanks Near. That...that was pretty damn awesome of you."

"…Y-You're welcome." Came the shy reply, the stutter not missing Mihael's ears, "What are friends for?"

"You're still on that friends kick, aren't ya?" The blonde, future bombshell could not help but chuckle, "Well...Yeah, after that, how could I say no?"

"…" Near remained, in his classic fashion, silent at the remarks; but his next motion was so quick, yet so heart-stopping, it made Mello's eyes widen to epic, monumental proportions.

"H-Hey, Near, what are you-!!" Two pasty hands the color of eggshells grabbed Mihael's face, and as quick as the tiny peck on Mello's lips had been initiated, it ended at the same rapid speed, with Near fleeing out of the room, leaving a flabbergasted Mello standing there, with a Mail Jeevas just staring at his best friend, a mocking smile bursting onto the red-head's face like a sunrise.

Only when the door to Mail and Mihael's room close with a bang did the teasing and shouting erupt, and only when Nate closed his own door did a tiny smile glimmer on his own face, as he packed his toys, alphabetically of course, into a brown box for Roger to gather up and lock away.

OoOOoOOoOOOOOOOOoooOoo

He had heard the majority of the trio's conversation from down the hall (they could be quite loud and all), and now a heavy burden was weighing upon Roger Ruvie's heart. Oh, he had figured Mello had organized the entire scheme, that was true, and secretly, behind the mask of calmness he had faked in his office, he had been shocked that the tiny albino boy had stood up for someone he supposedly hated.

But the troubling talk of Roger not caring about their success…the top three children at Wammy's success…that had sent an arrow through Roger's beating organ, chilling him to the bone. Had he been coming off like so? Had he been not praising them enough as he should? Granted, he wasn't always proud of them (Mello could be quite a little devil now and then), but here…there was a part of him that was indeed very proud of his children.

…Yes, his children…He always believed every girl and boy residing in this home was, in a way, his son and daughter…

But had he not been praising his three greatest sons enough? The thoughts troubled him; perhaps because they were so brilliant, his praise had become a tad repetitive to himself, but…That did not mean he no longer was proud of them!

With a heavy sigh, and a heavier burden resting on his heart, Roger returned to his office to make some notes to himself, and he knew what the first was to be:

_- It is time to make changes in my behavior…Our behavior…with these blessed children…_

OoOOooOOooOOOOOOOOOooooooooOOooOOooO

**Thousands of Miles Away, Japan, Kanto Region**

**Raito Yagami's House-Bedroom**

**Five-Twenty-Five P.M.**

OOOoOOooOOOOooOoOOoOoOOOoOoOOOoOOOO

The air in the room was stifling with ominous smog; the mood had darkened as the line continued to ring that repetitive sound, Raito keeping the device to his ear, just in case. For he dared not put it down, and miss the voice that was supposed to come from the other line…

Benedict Betouix.

Finally, a cheerful voice came onto the line, a recording, that of a young, chipper male, stating,

"Welcome to B and B Floral Arrangements; we are unable to come to the phone this very minute, but please, remain on the line, and we will be with you shortly!"

Then came that dreadful music, synonymous to that of an elevator-style tune, and the brunette groaned, while his demonic Death God cackled behind him. Really, was it that hard for a mortal to pick up a phone before it went onto hold or an answering machine? If Kira made the effort to do so, his future subjects should be more than ready to be polite and pick up the damn contraption every once and a while.

As the music wore on for a few more minutes, Raito feared that the shop had already closed for the night; when glancing at the clock on his desk, that fear deepened even more so. The Yagami would dare not leave his voice on the machine, for what if someone else was to hear it? No, that was not to happen, it could not. He would be smart not to leave any trace of him calling this time around, for according to the news, police were already investigating the murder of Buchwald, all the way across the ocean. Would Raito have to try again tomorrow if he could not leave a message? All were variables that were unpredictable at this point and time, and Raito could only hope for the best…-

"Hello?" Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, a gruff, older voice, the complete opposite of the one that had been on the answering machine, came across the line, right into the brunette's ear.

"Ah, yes, is this…Benedict Betouix?"

"…Who wants to know? If you want a custom arrangement, you'll have to call back, I'm just about to close-"

"Oh, sir, it is not that at all. I just actually wanted to ask you a few questions."

"…About? And who are you?" The tone of the older man took on a nervous tenor, its gruff exterior not waving though.

"Please, call me Yagami-san. And I am part of the NPA, but I'm mainly working in the Kanto area. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about some different topics."

"…" Betouix was silent for a moment, before uttering the lone word, "Fine."

Picking up the copy of the e-mail Raito had been able to recover from Watari's e-mail box, the Yagami continued, "Would you be able to tell me if you have had your identity stolen, credit-wise?"

"…Why do you ask?"

"Well, Sir, there is a large growth of credit theft both in the Kanto and Tokyo areas, and I have been assigned to look into it." Raito replied, coming up with a quick lie.

"…I'm sorry, but I do not feel at leave to give you that information, officer." Betouix responded in such a cold manner, it even shocked Kira.

"Oh? Well, then how about this: Did you have a business partner recently? Perhaps he had his credit and identity stolen?"

Raito was just taking a large guess, but he hypothesized that maybe, just maybe, Betouix was connected to one of the other three men on this list of aliases. Probably not Buchwald, but there was that Biyokoi name that the young Yagami had not stumbled upon yet…And "B and B Floral Arrangements"...Two B's...Betouix...and...Possibly Biyokoi?

"…Again, officer, I do not feel that I should have to give you that sort of information. Credit cases should not be the biggest worry in your mind, Sir, if I can say so myself. For last time I checked, there was a killer named Kira on the loose-"

"Oh, but Mister Betouix, we are extremely close to catching Kira, I don't want you to worry over that sort of thing. Now, if I may, can I ask if you recognize any of the names I am about to read off to you?"

Betouix snorted, stating only, "Fine. Go ahead."

"Buchwald? Bernard Buchwald?"

"No, Officer."

"How about Bantini Bemouir?"

"Again, NO." The man on the other line sounded completely bored, but that was about to change at the next name.

"Well, do you know a Biyokoi Buichi?"

A gasp came from the other line, along with the noise of something breaking, perhaps glass, followed by a quiet swear from Betouix.

_Bingo…I found the connection…_Raito inwardly smirked at the reaction, his sepia eyes becoming alight with a menacing glow, almost ruby in the setting sun's rays that cascaded through his window.

"…Mister Betouix, are you alright?"

"Who the hell are you?!" The man with the French name spat out, anger boiling in his voice now, "You have no right to ask me about such a thing!"

"Sir…I have no idea what you are referring to. But I do need you to tell me more about Biyokoi-"

"NO!" The older man nearly screamed, "I do not need to do anything to you damn officers! You have no idea how to do your jobs, and I know nothing! I know nothing about credit being stolen, and I shall tell you nothing about Buichi-kun!"

"…'Kun'? Sir, are you intimate with Mister Biyokoi-"

"THAT is none of your BUSINESS! You have no right to question me on such a topic, especially since it does not deal with anything relating to that of credit fraud!"

"Oh?"

"OH is right SIR! NOW, I suggest you no longer contact myself, my shop, or my home, for I have no information to divulge to you about ANYTHING. You have disturbed my patience and peace enough, good DAY, Sir!"

The line clicked off, leaving only a dial tone, and a not only confused Raito, but an enraged Kira-sama.

"…That bastard, how dare he…" But the furious side of the young man would not triumph now, not now, and with a heavy exhale, Raito shook his head, "Looks like I am going to have to do this the hard way."

"Eh?" Ryuk, crouched upon the bed in his classic twisty way, perked his ears up, "What are you going to do, Raito?"

"Simple, Ryuk. What does one normally do when a problem erupts?"

"Uhhh…Well, lots run away from it, or complain about it…"

"Ah, but I am not going to do either of those things." At this point, Raito pushed back the chair of his desk, exiting his room, and headed down the hall; he had been wise to convince his mother to take Sayu shopping and out to dinner, a "girl's night out" if you will, for the brunette now needed to sneak into his parents' room. Thank the Gods that his father was spending the night, once more, at the headquarters for the investigation. Without L, all of the team had decided to make a makeshift camp at the headquarters, and spent as much time there as they possibly could.

"Ooh, so you're going to confront the problem, is that it?" Ryuk fazed through the walls, following his master with a cheeky grin on his frightening face; that grin grew larger when Raito snuck to his father's nightstand, and felt under the table for a spell, eventually pulling to reveal a small key that had been taped to the underside of the table. With an elegant stride, the young Yagami went to the nearby closet, and after pulling it open, he stood tall, reaching with a tan hand to the top shelf, pulling down a small intricate wooden box, with carved patterns of vines and lilies.

"Indeed, Ryuk, indeed...I am going to confront the problem…"

There, lying in the box after Raito had unlocked it, lay a shiny, semi-automatic pistol, of, from what Raito could tell, the Browning brand, or something extremely similar. It was nine millimeters, and spare bullets were tucked in the leathery material lining the box.

"Yes, Ryuk…I know just what to use to confront my problem…To get what I want…"

Now was the time for God to get what he wanted, and if he had to threaten with a weapon, a loaded weapon…

Then so be it.

OoOOooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoOOoOOooOOo

**Beyond's Warehouse**

**Ten-Thirteen P.M**

OoOooOOOOOOOooooOoOoOoOOOoOOOOOoOOoOOoO

_There were lights shining upon the ceiling of the gallant ballroom, as man and woman danced upon the black-and-white tiled floor. Elegant gowns of gossamer and silk caressed the skin of women, suits of plain-black, while some were pinstriped, were the clothing of the men. All, though, wore a mask upon their brows, upon their pale-or-tanned faces. Masks of radiance, of glitter and shimmer, that glowed in the chandelier lights of bright colors, all that of the classical sounds of cellos, violins, and other gorgeous strings wafted about the gigantic ballroom elegantly.  
_

_And there he stood, Beyond Birthday, watching as each man and woman were entwined in each other's arms, while he, alone, with his black suit with thin stripes of white, with a poppy of blood hue sticking out on the lapel of the suit, alone. No partner, no other, no significance. Not one woman had asked him to dance, though, he hardly cared. Women were fickle creatures; he supposed he should be used to it by now. But not even one man had asked him of his countenance, his personality, for friendship. Beyond knew that man-to-man dancing would most likely not be tolerated in such a regal setting, with such conservative persons, but lo, he could dream, yes? _

_But just as the young man was adjusting his mask, a black felt mask like that of a bird's face, he spotted him…Well; it took Beyond a moment to realize it __**was**__ a him…_

_For standing on the other side of the room was a creature so ethereal, it took his breath away for a moment…_

_A man, with hair so much like his own, midnight-shade, sticking everywhere in a tangled mess…snow-white skin, so white, it looked like that of a newborn star…Lips pale, ghostly, thin, but still, oh-so delectable and kissable…But the man was in a dress, which surprised Beyond Birthday the most. But when he eyed the man's frame, how lithe it was, he could understand why the male would choose a dress for his chosen attire instead of a masculine suit. The man also had no bosom whatsoever, so there was another clue that he was of the masculine sex; but all that did not matter to the Beyond Birthday boy, for the man in the light yellow, sunny-yellow, dress was standing alone, gazing out the bay window, the moon just a sliver of silver, but the rays being bright enough to shine upon the lone one in the dress, his red mask, with rose petals sewn into it, brightly brimming._

_Beyond let his feet carry himself over to the other, who immediately say him and turned his head to the side in such a shy manner, it was downright adorable. _

_"So…alone?" _

_The silent male nodded, whispering in a soft, deep tone, "Yes. As are you?"_

_"Indeed. Then, a dance, my fair…lady?"_

_This made the dress-adoring raven look-alike pout in frustration, and he turned fully away from the other, his face a bright cherry red, only stating the words, "My name is Lawliet, good Sir, and for your information, I am of the MALE persuasion."_

_"Haha, yes, I know. It does not help, though, Sir Lawliet, that you are in a dress. Many could mistake you for…well, being a woman. Or…" Beyond grinned, stepping closer to Lawliet, despite the man's back still to the one in the suit; the one whose red eyes shimmered in the starlight while he whispered in Lawliet's ear, "Maybe you are the woman, hmm? Do you like to be dominated? By a man, perhaps? Or a woman?"_

_Lawliet flushed red, and swatted at Beyond lightly, a pout on his face, but it was quickly turning into a smile, "I think that is none of your business on our first meeting, Sir…?"  
_

_"Beyond, call me Beyond. Now, you never answered my first question, sweetheart. Dance? Or no?"_

_"…" Lawliet remained mute, his ebony eyes glancing at Beyond from time to time as the silence passed between them, "I…normally do not dance, sorry."_

_Beyond's face fell, though he tried to hide it behind a mask, both the one he wore, and the façade of neutrality that he tried to have, "Oh…Understandable, I suppose. Then I shall be seeing you." With a nod of his head, Beyond turned away from the other, but before he could take even five steps, Lawliet called out, _

_"W-Wait!" His tone was pleading, but embarrassed, and when Beyond turned back towards him, the raven's skin was flushed red as rhubarb, "I…Y-You didn't let me finish! I was going to say, I normally do not dance, sorry…b-but I'll make an exception for you…Beyond…I-I just hate dancing in front of other people, it…I, uh…w-well, I never meant for it to be personal to you, when in fact, nothing would p-please me more than to dance with-!!"_

_Beyond cut the other off by silencing him with a solo finger upon those pallid lips, "Shh…Again, understandable, Lawliet. And here, I can remedy your fears…"_

_The suited one took the other's hand, and led him to the bay window, opening it wide to reveal an entrance to the balcony the glassy surfaces led to. Stones of marble were the materials of the surface, with two massive gargoyles perched on the ledge of the balcony; there mouths open wide in a scream. Rose bushes were in the two innermost corners, blooming beautifully, the summer night air warm and humid._

_Lawliet's nervousness showed plentifully by this time, even more so when Beyond placed a thin hand upon his waist, and the two entwined hands had their hold tighten. Ebony eyes, though they fluttered about for some moments, returned to lock gazes with garnet orbs, in an almost entranced-esque fashion._

_"This more comfortable for you?" Beyond's voice was smooth, and the question made the other smile, stating, _

_"Yes, very, thank you…So, tell me, what are you doing here, Beyond?"_

_"Looking for someone, I guess…You?"_

_"…Yes, mostly the same. But there is something else…"_

_"Hmm? Care to share?"_

_Lawliet bowed his head even more so, his face washing over with shame, "I…I would, but I do not know…if you can help me…"_

_"Try me, Princess…" Beyond chuckled, and it made the dressed-up one blush and flush the color of a setting sun._

_"…I need to be saved, Beyond…" Lawliet spoke softly, barely loud enough for the other's ears to catch the words._

_"…Don't we all, Lawliet?" was the returned whisper, making Lawliet shake his head,_

_"No…I need to be set free. So many people want me to do this or that, and some…s-some want me dead…I just need someone to take me away from it all…"_

_"…Well, haven't I started that?" Beyond grinned a Cheshire-cat smile and it had the spell-binding effect on Lawliet, so much so, that he had to return the grin._

_"Maybe…Thank you for that, you are the only one who noticed me here tonight. You're really the only one who's noticed me in general, Beyond."_

_"Oh? C'mon, you're a looker, and you're intelligent, I can just tell by the way you talk; why wouldn't someone want you?" Interrogated the charming male as he slowly dipped his dance partner, both of his hands settling on Lawliet's waist._

_"No one has ever cared enough to really look beneath the surface, I suppose, Beyond…" Lawliet was once against mystified by the ruby gems, the garnet windows to the soul that the Birthday man possessed; subconsciously, lanky arms wrapped around the suited male's neck, bodies pressed closer together, "Does…Does that saying apply to you as well?"_

_"…Maybe…" Beyond muttered, "No one's really seemed to care about me…"_

_"Well, you're not hiding anything, are you?"_

_"…"_

_"Beyond?"_

_"…W-We've only just met…I-I don't think I could share what I know, what…what I've done…" The male whispered, his face inches from Lawliet's, who responded with,_

_"Really…? Heh…I don't know, after tonight…I feel like…like I've known you forever…"_

_"…How can you be so sure…?" Both voices had died down to hushed whispers, almost on their own, without their masters' acknowledgment._

_"…The look in your eyes, I guess…It just…" Lawliet blushed even more so as he trailed off, "It just…tells me…something…something…"_

_"Yeah…?"_

_"…Something good…"_

_Lips were inches apart, eyes at half-mast; Beyond could feel Lawliet's warm breath upon his own lips as the English classical music continued to unleash soft tunes…_

…_And the pairs of soft clouds nearly collided…_

_But then…Lightning flashed…_

_Screams echoed out…_

_And Beyond felt something hit his back HARD, hard enough to where he unleashed a scream of agony, and fell to the side of the balcony; Lawliet stood in awe, and he, too, let out an abashed cry, running over to Beyond's side the minute he had hit the ground._

_People inside fled, yelling, screaming, as the wind began to howl; Beyond's bleary eyes could make out others inside plummeting to the ground like stones just as he had moments before. _

_"B-Beyond! It's an arrow!" Lawliet screamed, tears streaming down his porcelain face, "I-I don't know what to do…"_

_The shot man let out a groan, his eyes roaming over the area with a glazed texture…_

_Until they focused on his outstretched hands…_

_"AHHH!" Lawliet saw the same mystical magic that was taking place upon Beyond's hands as well, and with a frightened scream, scurried away to the other side of the balcony._

_"Law…li…" Beyond's voice was turning into a growl as long, beastly, black hair grew upon his hands, as his nails lengthened to epic proportions…His nose was morphing into a snout, while the hair upon his head grew long and with a messy flow; two horns began to protrude from the top of his head as his clothes began to shred from his body as his muscles morphed into an animalistic way, while black fur began to grow all over him.  
_

_"…Y-You're a monster!" Lawliet screamed, his orbs shining with fear, with hatred, and Beyond let out a groan of despair at seeing the look upon his face as he continued to morph into something unseen by mortal eyes up until this very day. _

_Lawliet whined in agony at seeing the change from man to beast, but he tentatively reached out a hand, and white appendages lightly grazed over the hands that were beginning to turn into hairy paws; all the while, the raven whispered softly,_

_"Shh…I forgive you for everything...Forgive me for my outcry...A-And I st-still love you…even if you're a monster…"_

_"…OH? DO you now?"_

_A voice boomed out from behind the duo; a man, hooded, with red eyes, and a bow and arrow in his large hands, aimed once more at Beyond, "He's just a creature, a despicable creature, who will just hurt you in the end!"_

_"N-Never! H-He'd never do such a thing, I can tell he loves-…!!"_

_But then…It had happened…_

_Sharp claws, belonging to Beyond, had zoomed through Lawliet's body, piercing him, piercing his ruby organ, his pure heart, as if of their own free will._

_"!!" Beyond, who had lost the ability to speak human tongue, let out a wail of despair as ebony orbs turned to a pallid, frozen state, the gaze locked onto the monster Beyond Birthday as the lithe body tumbled to ground, blood flowing from the body._

_"Well…I guess it just wasn't meant to be…"_

_A diabolical cackled resounded from the man with the hood and the weaponry; in a flash of white, the scene faded, yet Beyond awoke to find himself in a smog, darkened land…_

_With the morphing he had done before still occurring on his body…His claws grew sharper, his teeth turned to even pointier fangs, his ruby orbs changed to have cat-like qualities, and he let out a screech of wrath…_

_For there before him stood the hunter…and in his arms…_

_Was L…But oh, not the L from the ball, the dance...  
_

_The regular L…_

_But here, Lawliet was bruised, beaten, battered, and bloody…his eyes showing a dead expression, his pallid skin a deathly white sheen…_

_And the hunter whispered the statement Beyond never wished to hear…_

_"He's mine now…And he'll never forgive you…Never understand you…And he'll soon realize what kind of monster you are…and the masks you try so hard to wear…will just fade away…"_

_The monster Beyond Birthday let out a scream as the hunter ran off with Lawliet; but before Beyond could get far with chasing him, traps, like that of those set up in the woods to catch creatures, sprang from the misty ground, chomping into his flesh, causing blood to flow from him, flow rapidly and quickly, until the loss of blood got so much that he could only let out a roar and-_

"!!" Beyond awoke with a start, his body giving off beads of sweat, his garnet gems wide and washed with fear, "…J-Just a nightmare…" Came the quiet reassurance, and the young man looked to his left, and sure enough, there was L Lawliet, sound asleep, tired, snuggled up right next to him.

"…" But the killer was still restless, despite seeing his older raven smiling in his slumber; that nightmare…what the "hunter" had said…He was only reaffirming B's worst thoughts, worst predictions for the future…

That L was to never forgive him for what he had done…Sure, Lawliet **said** he did, but had he really? BB knew the man was such a good liar, and okay, sure, maybe he **had **forgiven him, but how much? How much forgiveness did Lawliet give his actions? And would he ever truly get over, move on? Probably not.

But that was not even the worst fear Beyond had; for forgiveness could be achieved, possibly, over time. But…

But how could Beyond Birthday explain to the man he loved he saw death through the ruby orbs he possessed…? How could he ever tell Lawliet the truth about his Eyes? About everything? About how that he could see when L's death was to be?

Would not the detective think of him as some form of demon? Monster?

"…Monster…" A usually-bloody hand caressed L's bangs, and though the man stirred slightly, and gave out a sweet hum of contentment, he far from awoke.

Lost in his troubled thoughts, Beyond mutely stood after placing a chaste kiss on the raven's forehead, and left the room.

OOOOOOOOOooOOOOOOOOOOO

Lawliet could feel when the heat of Beyond had left him, and the older male of the duo opened his eyes slowly, giving off a tiny yawn of exhaustion. The man had never slept his much in his entire life, but the exhaustion he had acquired in this week could truly explain it all.

"Hnn…Biyondi? Where…where did you go?" Another yawn; again, yawning was not something Lawliet had done much. After rubbing bleary eyes of black, the man sat up, noticing the door of the room left wide open, "Hey, B, come on, this isn't funny…"

Lawliet, truthfully, hated being alone in the warehouse; there was just something ominous about the entire place, it was as if…

As if someone had died there…

But BB made it better; he made it all better, his presence, his aura, his smile…his everything…

"Okay, Beyond, this is NOT funny, I'm serious." L tried to hide the nervousness in his tone as he got up from the quilt and left the room, and began traversing down the hall. It probably would have helped if he actually knew where he was going, but Lawliet knew there was nothing he could do nothing about that now.

The dank halls were not a welcome sight to the detective, nor were the walls that had drops of blood upon them, newspapers scattered everywhere, both on the walls and the flooring; jam jars, broken and otherwise, still decorated the warehouse like sculptures. There was little light in the building, and as Lawliet walked through the halls, peaking into rooms, he stumbled more than once, catching himself only once. And he soon learned that the metal floor was **not **comfortable to land upon with great speed.

"Beyond? Come on, Beyond, this is not making me happy…"

But no matter how many times the raven called out the other's name as he silently stalked the halls, the stairwells, and the rooms of the warehouse, he could not find B. Trepidation tremors soon shook through his body like that of an ominous chill, and Lawliet feared for not just his safety, but for Beyond's.

"Dammit, where ARE you?! You better not have left me here alone without telling me…"

_He would not do that, would he…? He loves me…_

…_What if he is hurt…_

_Oh God, what if he fell, or got knocked on the head, rendering himself unconscious, or, or…Oh, Lawliet, do not even go there…_

Swift feet soon picked up speed as Lawliet ran down the hallway upon the second floor, banging open doors with said appendages, ebony eyes glancing briefly into each room, eyeing many trinkets, but nothing that was synonymous to that of a body.

"BEYOND!"

Lawliet's worry had escalated as the moments dragged on, with no response from the other, and after exploring the very small third floor, the raven ran back to the room, his room on the first floor, the one he had inhabited for so long, only to find that too bare of Beyond.

"Damn you, where did you go…You better be all right, or for God's sake, or I shall…"

L took out a deep breath, running a hand through his midnight locks, trying to calm his being; this required rational thought, he was sure, not one-hundred percent though, that Beyond was still on the warehouse's premises.

"…" Without another exclamation, the raven walked through the halls on the first floor, checking doors once more, until he found something very surprising…

The entrance to the warehouse.

Large, no, gigantic doors, made of metal, what else, were now standing in front of Lawliet, and he knew that it had to be the entrance and exit to the hiding place of the killer, for no other doors like it were built around the place. L had never been on a full tour of the warehouse, so the sight of the doors was indeed quite a shocker. But probably what amazed the detective the most were the red designs "painted" upon the door:

The letters B and L, random eyes, jam splatters...blood splatters…

"…" L tried the handle of the two doors, only to find them locked, "Damn."

Beyond had to be outside, and a longing in Lawliet was growing rapidly, for the older man wanted so badly to be where the other was…It was almost crazy, how large the longing was at this point of the night.

L traced a hand along the door's patterns; the blood was dried, of course, but there was just something comforting about touching something Beyond had, or had done, when the killer himself was not there to be with Lawliet. Crouching upon the floor in bare feet, L kept his obsidian eyes pealed to the floor, trying not to think of the other male…

Which was damn near impossible to do…

"Where are you…? Why aren't you with me…?"

_Why do I need you so badly…?_

"Can't I be there too…? Wherever you are? Wherever your thoughts are?"

…_Just let me in Beyond…Please…_

"Please…I understand you…You understand me…"

_You love me…_

…_I love you…_

_I cannot explain it, but…_

…_I do…_

_I cannot hide behind a mask of façade, of fake, of faulty lies, anymore…_

"…D-Don't leave me now, you bastard…" Each sentence was quiet, only spoken for Lawliet's ears to hear; but thankfully, those ears perked up another sound just seconds after his thoughts began to waft through his brain…

The sound of wind…

Lawliet perked his head up, staring down the small, dead-end hallway to his left; and there, lo and behold, stood an open window, with sheer curtains billowing in the wind. And as L crept closer, he could make out…

A ladder…No, a fire escape…

_Of course…Perhaps…No, he wouldn't…Wait, this is B…so…_

Lawliet ran to the window, and stuck his head out fast; peering up, he could see the fire escape's ladder rungs ran all the way up to the third floor, and even a tad bit more…to even…the roof.

Jumping out the open glass pane and grabbing onto the ladder, the raven climbed nimbly and quickly, past the second and third floors of the building. There were a few short ledges, and a small jump, but indeed, the ladder could reach up to the roof; and so did Lawliet, with only a few hops, he stood upon the shingled roofing…

And there was Beyond…

Crouched near the edge of the roof, only a few feet from where Lawliet stood, the man's head hung low, his eyes glued to what seemed to be nothing in particular. As L crept closer, the killer turned his head, ruby gems twinkling with sadness as he whispered,

"You should be asleep, Lawli…"

"…As should you, but you are not, and I am not, so…Well, we'll have to resolve both of those issues, won't we?"

As Lawliet got closer to the other male, and eventually sat next to him, he could see bloodshot whites of B's eyes, a sign the man had been crying for a great period of time. The killer's voice was tired, weak, and his body showed the same fatigue.

"Unfortunately, L, all my problems cannot be solved simply by your words…"

"And I could say the same for your words and my problems…but your voice always does help…"

B gave such a microscopic smile, it was hard to discern, but L caught it; he caught it so easily, he knew no other mortal could read Beyond as well as he could.

"Maybe…" The killer continued, "I just...I had a nightmare, is all…"

"…Want to talk about it?"

"…" Beyond Birthday shook his head silently a moment later, giving Lawliet a sad look, a pleading look that said _I want to, love, but I can't…I just can't…_

"…I'm here if you wish to. I have never talked about a nightmare with another person before, really…not in-depth-like anyways."

"I can't burden you with my issues, Lawli-Popsicle…"

L gave a chuckle at the new nickname, "Popsicle? Lawli-pop, Lawli-Popsicle, you are quite creative, aren't you?"

Beyond twiddled his toes, the smile on his face growing, yet waning, at the same time, "I remember the first time I called you Lawli-pop here…you said for me to never call you that again…"

"…That was a long time ago, Beyond."

"…N-No. It was NOT, L. It…was what? Five? Six days? You think THAT is a long time, I don't want to know what you consider years to be…"

Lawliet let out another laugh as he scooted closer to the copy, "Perhaps…perhaps it was not a great length of time, but…things change…"

"…Maybe…" B turned to face the other head-on, his eyes still holding that sad glimmer, his mouth slightly open, as if he was about to speak, but his lips closed up once more, leaving silence between them; the silence only lasted for a couple of minutes though, and once more, BB spoke up,

"… I wish I could tell you everything, Lawli…"

"Hmm?"

"…" A small sniff came from Beyond as he continued, "I-I have things about me…t-that make me a m-monster…"

"Beyond, we've been over this. I don't think you're a monster-"

"NO, Lawli, I'm not talking about the ways I kill people, or that I kill people in general, or even all those damned plans I had to kill you…I-I mean s-something more…something more…out there. Extraordinary…fantastical in a way…"

Lawliet listened with a serious expression, his obsidian orbs glued to the killer's face, "Tell me…"

BB shook his head, "You'll hate me. You'll think I'm the Devil's spawn. Everyone else would. Or did. When I…when I "predicted" all those deaths at Wammy's…for our pets…and-and it turned out true…t-they all thought I was a freak….e-even A didn't know the truth…h-he just thought that the others ca-called me a freak because they w-were mean…b-but they were right…"

A wave of confusion passed over Lawliet's face, "Beyond, I'm a little confused…"

"…H-Heh, it's understandable, sweet-cheeks…" A few tear drops began to stream down the face of the copy, "A-And you can stop with the kind charade now…"

"…What?"

"C-Come off it L! I just…" BB hiccupped, trying to wipe his eyes, and accidentally wiping off some of the make-up he applied to his person everyday, so he could look exactly like the man he admired…the man he loved, "I KNOW you can't care for me like you do. How COULD you? That nightmare…It just brought back bad memories…It made me think…"

"…About the early days?"

"…Yes." The lone word was so timidly spoke, L barely heard it.

"Beyond…Look at me."

The killer shook his head, his face had turned away from L mere moments before, as the younger one had tried to hide his tears from the original genius, "N-No. It's not worth it, I'm not worth it."

"…" L remaind silent for a moment, choosing his words carefully, "Who are we to decide what we are worth, Beyond? We cannot decide how much we are worth ourselves, you know…Someone else has to."

That caught Beyond's attention, and he once again turned to face the detective, "You're saying that I cannot decide my own worth? Cannot proclaim it?"

Lawliet gave a silent nod in reply.

"…B-But, then…w-who decides…God? I thought we established we're not even sure a God exists."

"God may not, but I do."

"!!" B's eyes blinked like a bush-baby, trying to grasp what the other had just said, "S-So you...you're saying-"

"I'm saying I can judge you by your worth, since I am alive, I am not you, and though I am not some omniscient being…I think I can do His or Her job." Lawliet reached out a bony hand, and a thin finger lightly lifted up Beyond's chin, "Beyond…You know if I did not think you worthy of being around me, I would have asked to leave a long time ago…"

"…You deserve better, Lawliet…" The killer whispered, while the words L had stated playing over in his mind; indeed, the raven had not asked to leave at all recently, which, again, had not been part of the plan whatsoever.

Everything had gotten off the traditional and planned train track apparently…

"…You think so?"

"You deserve someone who would never hurt you…who would never rape you…never want to kill you…some pretty guy, some intelligent, gentle soul…I'm none of that, and you know it."

"…You could not be more wrong, I am afraid. You're a gentle soul when you want to be-gentle to me, really-and do you even realize the depth of your intelligence? And not to mention your looks…"

"I look like you though, that hasn't bothered you yet?"

"…You have something…so attractive about you Beyond, not just externally, internally too, and no, the fact that you look like me does not bother me in the least…"

"…" The copy remained silent again, his eyes trailing all around the duo, and out into the night sky, the nightlights of the nearby city glowing in the dark Japanese sky, "…Beautiful, isn't it? The city…the area around here…Heh, I never imagined you and I would be looking out at it together…but I far from regret it."

Lawliet turned his own head, "Yes, it is…We're not that far from the large cities, are we?"

B shook his head, "No, we're not. This is mostly just a shipping and receiving area, some fishing and all…but, look, out there…" The killer pointed to the north, "See all those lights? The city, the Kanto region, it's just over there. Pretty place to stay, you have nice taste."

Golden lights, along with rainbow neon, shimmered in the night sky not far from the warehouse; traffic sounds and loud music echoed out, Japan's nightlife, coming to, well, life. Not a cloud in the sky darkened the lights, the sounds, the mood and the atmosphere of the entire region.

"Yes, I always choose the best, Beyond. Speaking of Kanto, how DID you get me from THERE to HERE?"

"…Um…well, I knocked you out, right? And I just….grabbed you, put you in a van, drove you here. Climbed out a window, though, that was sort of tough…I got you down to I think…the second floor? And then I just climbed out a hotel window to the van."

"You drove me? You DRIVE?"

"…Well…Not…LEGALLY-"

"BEYOND!"

"WHA?! Oh, come ON, I had to do SOMETHING!"

"You kidnapped me while driving ILLEGALLY?!"

"…I love how my illegal driving bothers you more than the kidnapping itself…"

"…W-Well…" Lawliet pouted, a tiny blush of…well, he was unable to actually discern what was causing the flush of red THIS time around, and he stuttered off, words unable to form in his brain and mouth.

"…Knowing you, you probably have a kidnapping fetish or something, Lawliet."

"WHAT?!"

"Shh, with screaming like that, you'll wake up the whole damn neighborhood."

"For YOUR information, I was screaming out your name earlier-"

"When you touched yourself?" There was a diabolical grin upon B's face, that was not only annoying, but down right adorable.

"…No. Shut up. I WAS going to say that I screamed your name earlier-"

"In violent ecstasy as you came all over those beautiful hands of yours that held your member roughly, even after your high had decreased, while your ebony orbs were glazed over, your brain concocting images of you and I…doing things…in pleasure…in rash and unabashed desire…?"

"…" L remained silent as the sexual description whirled around in his mind, and all he could unleash was a slight groan, which made the killer laugh.

"Silly…I did hear your voice down there, though…were you looking for me…?"

It took Lawliet a minute to respond, for he had to clear his throat, "Y-Yes, I was…"

"…" And then, a full smile came upon B's face, though his eyes still shone with some late-blooming tears, "I…I really don't deserve you…But I want to…I want to just…be with you…"

"…I know…"

_I know, and I want it just as badly, just as BADLY, Beyond…_

"…C-Can you…can you even care for someone like me…? Lawliet, if you knew EVERYTHING…everything that I could tell you, you'd…you'd…"

_You'd scream "monster!"…You'd run…You'd have me locked up forever…somewhere…_

"….Maybe I'm not the cold man you once knew, Beyond…"

"…You're still human though, you could…I don't know, still just…leave…w-when…"

And Beyond's resolve finally cracked, the dams holding back the final waves of tears broke, shattered to minute pieces…

"W-When I need you to BE here! When I WANT you to be here with me, for the rest of our damned and fucked up lives! I just want YOU to STAY. I LOVE you, but everything in this world is AGAINST us! Your job, my past, your past, my present, what I've done, what YOU'VE done, what we ARE…H-How can we go ON?" The killer gave a small hiccup as every thing he had been thinking of for the past some minutes rose to the surface once more, bubbling up, and overflowing like boiling water…boiling tears…

"…Shh…Come here…" Lanky arms belonging to Lawliet reached out, taking the copy into a tight embrace, "Please, Beyond, stop saying such things…I just…I want you not to worry…"

The killer continued to sob, burying his neck into L's neck, wrapping his arms around the raven's waist, "B-But Lawli…" The nickname came out as a whine of despair.

"…I may not be the most positive person in the world, but we'll find a way…we'll figure things out in time. We're geniuses, Beyond, if we cannot, than who can?"

"…We're geniuses…yeah, but one of those geniuses is in love with the other…And the other…w-well, the other, I'm not exactly sure of…"

"…" Lawliet remained silent, his mind reeling, knowing he could say those words, those words that Beyond needed to hear now, of all times, NOW, but…

…He could not…

Not yet…

Would they be true if he said them now…? Oh, God, most likely, yes…But…

…The words just failed to come…

"…The other deeply cares for the first genius, the one who proclaimed his love first, but…is still unsure of his complete feelings…But something…inside of the second one, the older genus, tells him…he needs the first one just as badly…and that…there is so much in his heart…his head…telling him things…"

_Telling him that Beyond Birthday is the one who saved him…_

_Who loves him…_

_Who wants Lawliet to return the same affections…_

…_And Lawliet does…_

_But is just afraid to say so…_

_One day…I hope to tell you 'I love you' Beyond…_

…_Because I shall mean those three words with all my heart…_

…_And though I feel it now, I am still afraid…_

…_So just hang on…_

_I'll try to say them as soon as I can…_

_I love you, Beyond…_

_You do not know how much you've given me…how much you mean to me now..._

_Do you realize how much you make me smile…? How you make me laugh…? How attractive, how gorgeous I find you…? How your mind fascinates me to ends I've never felt…? How your dark actions not only intrigue me, they make me wallow not in fright, but in shock, in surprise, in amazement, all good emotions…? Do you know that you've been the only thing on my mind for the past few days…? I've thought of nothing else but you…_

_Do you even know how much I need you…? H-How…I can't lose you…?_

_…How much I have come to love you…_

_I'm wounded, so heal me…Heal me with your presence…You have already started to do so…_

_So heal me with that emotion, that feeling…that love you somehow possess for me…_

…_Only Me…_

…_And Only You…_

"…D-Don't go…P-Please don't leave me, Lawliet…Please…" The copy continued to cry, but the amount of tears was diminishing greatly, though his voice was still strained, weak, like that of a war-hero finally coming home to roost, after facing battles of a lifetime.

"Shh…I'm not going anywhere, I do not want you to fret over it, alright?"

Beyond replied with a whine, gripping Lawliet even tighter; the night wind was beginning to chill both bodies, so the raven picked up his copy, his worn-and-beaten copy named Beyond Birthday, and strode towards the ladder both men had come from; descending it was tough, but finally accomplished, without any injuries whatsoever as L jumped through the open window, cradling his BB like a babe, a sleeping tot.

…HIS BB…

…Odd thought, but Lawliet did not despise it in the least…

Walking towards the bedroom, B's bedroom, the raven softly placed the now-slumbering nineteen-year old down on the shoddy mattress; the killer giving off a whine of desperation.

"Shh…I'll be back in a moment, Biyondi…"

Biyondi…Lawliet actually liked saying that nickname; it just…rolled off the tongue in a way.

L had one more place to stop, one more room to gaze upon…

…

…It had taken the man only three tries to find the right room in the warehouse; he had spotted it during his hunt for the copy of himself earlier before, but now, Lawliet needed to enter the small room.

There were books in this dirty room as well, but they were dusty, along with the shelves that were built into the metal and copper walls; broken pictures, of unknown people, mostly men, with most likely no relation to Beyond Birthday whatsoever, lined the floor, and with bare feet, L had to take his time going over to the farthest wall in the room. Random paper stacks were lining the walls of the room as well, again, the words seemed to have no relation towards Beyond, for they spoke of flowers, arrangements, and orders. Perhaps Beyond had used this room to store the previous owner's stuff in? Who was to really say?

But that did not matter; the crucifix that hung right in front of Lawliet did matter though.

"…I have a feeling even You cannot help me now…Nor him…"

The wooden carving of the praised Lord, of course, was silent as a lamb; why it was even hanging there made no sense to L, but again, if this room was used to store items that had belonged to someone else, for the detective had a feeling, in the pit of his stomach, that this building had belonged to someone else long before B had come around, it only made sense for some random items to be in some random rooms.

"…I do not even know why am I talking to You…I don't truly believe in You…which I hope does not damn me, but then again…I've been damned enough in my life, not by You, but by others…"

Every detail stood out to the ebony eyes of Lawliet; the crown of thorns, the blood, the look upon the Lord's face as he was crucified by those he had tried to save…

…By those he was saving…

"You...died to save them all…"

_Will I have to die to save him…? Myself…? _

_Will others have to die for my happiness…no, will MORE people have to die for my happiness…?  
_

"This was not supposed to happen…"

_Love…And…Justice…_

_They cannot mix…They are not supposed to…like Oil and Water…_

_But…I want them to mix…I want Beyond…_

…_But I want to be myself…_

…_C-Can I do both…?  
_

"Are you sure someone like Yourself is not toying with us all?"

_What if this is all just going to turn into some damn joke…?_

"I know this shall not end well…"

_There is a pit of epic proportions growing in my stomach…_

_A pit that says…"Evil is to arise once more"…that…"This shall not last…Good things never do…"_

"…I…I do not care what happens to me…But…Please…You…Though I think you barely exist…Though I doubt your existence…Please…watch over him…It is all I ask of You…I have come to care about no one but him…Beyond…"

_There are others yes…Mihael…Mail…Nate…Quillish…But him…_

_Beyond…_

…_I love him…I love him…The others I care for…deeply…but love? That I cannot say for sure…_

_But he is the one my heart belongs to now…_

"…It is all I shall ever ask of you…A higher Deity…a God….A supposed "real God"…Because this is one thing in my life I cannot handle alone…"

With those final words, and a slight bow, Lawliet turned, and left the room, to rejoin the sleeping Beyond, who was curled upon the mattress like a kitten. And when L curled up beside the slumbering younger one, B cuddled closer, even more so when the raven's bony arms wrapped themselves around the killer, he too closing his eyes, hoping to drift back into a dream-like state…

_God help us both…_

…_Someone…_

_Help us both…_

OOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoOOoooOOOO

A/N: This is not ONLY the longest chapter I've written for Bloody Kisses, but probably one of the longest chapters for any of my works! : D Twenty-nine pages, over 10,400 words!

Wow, I hope you all enjoyed this one; I'll admit, I made myself cry with this one, while I was writing it. As I said before, the following chapters of the story are going to be intense, and full of emotion, so be prepared! And yes, lovers of yaoi, I'm thinking of you too. You'll have to wait another chapter after this, and THEN I hope to satiate your desires. ^^

Thank you kindly to all those who have read, reviewed, and given me your honest opinions with this story; it's come a long way, and as we're winding down, it'll be the main focus of my updates over the next few weeks. This Eternity, and Detention: Missing Breakfast, Finding Love will try to be updated as well, and hopefully A Demon's Redemption, but since we're so close, I want to focus the majority of my energy into finishing this big baby here.

Thanks again, I'll be updating soon! : D

P.S. B's nightmare was inspired by the tale Beauty and the Beast! ^^


	16. Checkmate

A/N: Another quick update for you! For those reading my other stories, stay tuned, I plan to update one of them after this, but let's go for a tri-update! WOOT! : D Enjoy, I'll be updating this again soon! ^^

And thanks to all who gave me such a nice review or alert or fave last time! : D

And you're about to see some of the craziness I promised you, along with finding out why this chapter is named the title it is! ;D

OH, and for those that have been skipping Raito's parts, _**THIS **_is the chapter where you can _**NOT do it**_**,** since it ties the story together, and it sets everything up for the ending! ;D

Enjoy!!

_OoOoOOoooooOoOoOooOOooOOOOooo_

_"The game is up."_

_- Cymbeline, (Act III, Scene III)_

_OOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoOOoooooooooOOOOOOoooOoOoo_

**- Tokyo, Japan- Ten-Fifty A.M-**

The train was silent, except for that insane, dull music that drove Raito mad during the rides he sometimes had to frequently travel on due to To-Oh University and his specific classes and times. The brunette dared not look at the other faces seated upon the train, for even the tiniest twitch could give away his true nerves, and break the porcelain mask of serenity the Yagami was wearing at the current moment. Sepia eyes were glued to the window that was right in front of them, with no head to block the view, thank God, and not a sound came from the young man, save his light breathing.

Ryuk was another story all together though; the Death God was behaving in the manner of a three-year old. Playfully cackling and twisting about, whining for an apple every five minutes, mocking the other passengers by whispering haughty remarks in Kira's ear like a gossiping Ginny.

But when golden-black eyes caught sight of the gun, the Browning semi-automatic, tucked deeply into the pocket of Raito's light brown jacket, the Shinigami would break into hysterics, as if he could not believe THE Yagami Raito was stooping to threatening someone with force, if it be necessary.

Which, in the young genius' mind, it was most likely going to be…

A strong tan hand rested in that pocket, over the gun, already sweating with nerves, but Raito dared not show it, or he would most likely turn right back around and go home.

No…Betouix had not only refused to give up information, he had insulted Kira…His Future God…He made a mockery of not only Raito Yagami, but Kira…

For Raito Yagami **was** Kira…

That reminder made the Yagami boy tighten the hold he had on the hidden gun, his anger boiling over even more so…

God's happiness was at stake here, dammit! L was going to return to his rightful place beside Kira, and soon, the detective would be infatuated enough as to where he would not notice Kira's activities as much, or loose his interest in the case due to the love that he was certainly to develop for Raito. Why, who would **not** love Raito over time? And this was L, the recluse, whose feelings were barely even there…okay, so maybe the "love" part would be more of a challenge, perhaps, but where there is a will, there is a way, yes? And Raito had the will, for he had come to fall in love with L, that was true, and he would MAKE the raven insomniac love him back, no matter what the cost. It would happen though; Raito knew it would……

Reminding himself of the "true" reason for his mission as he stepped off the train, Raito kept quiet just like before, not even daring a peek at Ryuk, who just smiled like Lucifer, as if the Devil himself had just collected another soul in a seedy bargain; little did Ryuk know that Raito had lost his humanity ages ago.

Thankfully, the shop, Betouix's floral shop, was not far from the train's station and stop; it would mean a quick exchange of power and information for Raito, then, and so forth, his worrying over the attitude would not last long at all. Or at least, that was what the Yagami hoped.

"Heheheh...You ready, Raito?"

The quaint, tiny shop stood in front of the spirit and his Master, sepia eyes set as hard as stone; it was hard to discern any expression from the brunette in general. The pink awning glistened in the early summer sunlight, the black lettering, a French-like cursive, splayed across the fabric: "B and B Floral Arrangements". Green shrubberies in pots were in a pair, on either side of the glass door that had the same name of the store spray-painted on it. Raito could see pre-made flower arrangements sitting on the window sill inside, along with buckets and closed off, clear, closet-like apparatuses containing other arrangements, with lights shining in them, to keep the flowers warm, and in a nice, comfortable environment. The store's large, buzzing lights were clearly on and running and Kira could take a guess and say that the owner was already present.

"Yeah."

With the lone word, the charming male strode into the small building, his senses being immediately awoken by the smell of fresh cut flowers, and their colorful sight; roses, daisies, lilies, daffodils, violets, lotuses, orchids, tulips, bluebells, all in various hues, and dozens more types, lined the walls, and floor, and even the glass cases where some special ones were kept. Other plants, some more plain, others richly exotic, sat atop of shelves; even some carnivorous plants stood out in chocolate eyes. Raito even spotted some tiny bonsai trees and firs sitting on the counter near the register.

"Yes, yes, your bouquet will be ready at one, Nikiasai-san." Not a moment after Raito had entered the store, Betouix's gruff and booming voice sounded out, bouncing off the thin walls of the florist shop. "Flight of Fancy, yes, yes, I remember the type you wanted. Haha, oh, Nikiasai-san, you flatter me; yes, I'm sure your lovely wife will adore this bouquet; she loved the last one, didn't she? Yes, yes, goodbye Sir." The beeping sound of a phone being turned off rang out, and then Betouix himself appeared in Raito's line of vision, entering from a darkened back room, stating,

"Ah, I thought I heard the doorbell. Unfortunately, at my age, you can't hear as well!" The older man chucked, running a hand through his lightly blonde beard on his face, the hair only being light fuzz near his chin. The locks on the crown of the French man's head were of the same shade, but were graying around the top, a sign of the man's age; gray-blue eyes also showed his life experience, along with the wrinkles around his orbs and forehead. Wearing a turtleneck of a light chocolate color, and khaki pants, the medium-build man came off as a dashing male, even more so when he took silver spectacles out of his pocket, placing them upon the bridge of his nose. The man's voice was the same gruffness and deep tone Raito had heard the night before, but now, there was a touch of happiness to it, a tone of calmness, "Being forty-one does that to you, I'm afraid! So, young man, what can I do for you? Something for the lady? Perhaps a nice little gift? I recommend the Blue Irises, or, my personal favorite, Baby's Breath. Both are quite romantic, yet better than the traditional roses."

"Unfortunately, Sir…?"

"Oh, just call me Betouix. Or Benedict, whatever suits you more." Betouix fingered a Baby's Breath bloom in his lightly tan fingers, admiring the flower, as if he was holding the most valuable present he had ever received.

"Unfortunately, Benedict, I am not hear to discuss something for my girlfriend, but thank you for the interesting suggestions; I am here merely to discuss...a business deal of sorts."

"Oh? I'm afraid I do not recognize the sound of your voice, young man. Did you order a bouquet already? Or are you asking about a transaction between my business and yours? Or a bank loan?"

"No, Sir, and you don't recognize my voice? How about the name…Raito Yagami?"

"…" Betouix, his back to the God of the New World at this point, instantly stiffened and froze in place, "…I TOLD you to leave me-…!!"

In a frenzied motion, Benedict Betouix had turned around to face Raito, an angry expression flaring in his eyes, on his face; but it evaporated like water when his sea-blue gems caught sight of the Yagami once more…

For Raito was holding out a Browning brand semi-automatic pistol, locked on and aimed right at Betouix, while a demonic, debonair smile was plastered right on the brunette's face, his sepia eyes glistening so evil, yet so calmly at the same time, the iciness and scariness was downright mortifying.

"Now…I think you're going to tell me everything I know."

OoOoOooOoOOOoOOOOOoooOOOOooOoO

**Beyond's Warehouse**

**Eleven-Ten A.M.**

OoooOOoooOOOOOOOoOOooOOooOoOooOOoOOoOOooOO

If there was one thing L had come to learn throughout the past week, it was this:

Beyond was a loud snorer.

Very. Very. Loud.

The duo was still in Beyond's bedroom from the night before, but the killer had failed to awaken yet, the elephant-esque nostril sounds still emanating from him on a regular basis. His lanky body was splayed out on the dirty mattress, while Lawliet crouched nearby, gazing, watching the younger of the two doze off, dreaming whatever fabricated (and most likely lewd) dreams could exist in the mind of BB.

"Hnn…Put on the dress, and lemme spank you…" The copy murmured in his sleep, causing L to gawk with a jaw-drop; even more so when Beyond continued with, "Lawli, yeah…just like that, Lawli…Oooh…"

"Ah…" If ebony eyes could widen any more, God would have to make it some sort of miracle; for moon-sized pupils stared at B, blinking on and off like a light-switch. Eventually, L had enough, and before Beyond could fully complete that moan that he was unleashing, the detective shook him roughly, stating, "Wake up."

"…Ugh…Wow, what a nice good morning from YOU…" B groaned, rubbing his bleary ruby eyes, while L only replied with,

"At least I don't blurt out my dress fetishes and whom I want to see in them in my sleep, Beyond."

The killer remained mute for a moment, until a bright rosy blush exploded on his face, his voice letting out a sound that was a mix between a strangled growl, and a whimpering cry,

"WHAT?! Ah…YOU…I…" Memories of the dream that B had been having came back into the killer's brain, flooding him, and only made that springing red hue even darker on the normally-snowy pale face. "I…"

"...Have no explanation?"

"…Yes."

"I figured you did not." L snorted with a shake of his head, a roll of his eyes, but a tiny smile on his face, "At least I know some of those thoughts that go on in your head, and it is all...flattering to an extent?"

"…You think knowing that I want to screw you in a rose garden is flattering?"

"I…actually did not know that one, Beyond…" L drawled out, giving the killer a questioning look, with much surprise in his eyes.

"…AHH!" The look in Beyond's eyes at the raven's words was sheer priceless. Those normally calm and collected eyes darted about in pure fear, knowing not where to look, not being able to think of a place to rest his gaze; so, the normally-vicious man did the only "sane" thing, and buried his face in his hands, letting out another whine, "L!! I…I didn't…I…Well, that WAS part of the dream, but…I…You…"

"Indeed, I did not know that was part of your…dream. But…interesting…" Lawliet could not help the chuckle that escaped his lips, and soon, a slight giggle turned, rapidly, I may add, into a fit of laughter, the man trying to cover his mouth to silence the sound, but failing miserably.

"LAWLIET! STOP laughing! It's not funny!" B cried out, pouting, his hands now clenching at his obsidian locks, grimacing as the raven's cries gained a higher type of volume, "I SAID STOP!"

"Haha, oh, you wish for me to stop so you can…Oh, what were the words…So I can "put on that dress" and let you "spank me?"

"AH! Stop mocking me! I don't mock YOU-"

"…"

"…Okay, so I don't mock you MUCH-"

"…"

"Stop giving me those damn steely looks, you bastard! Oh, but at least I got you to stop LAUGHING!"

"And here I thought you liked my laughter…I KNOW you like my name, the way you were MOANING IT-"

"L!" B's voice came out as a screech, his ears, and now neck, red as the cheeks on his bony face, "Okay, now you're just being unfair."

"I thought you liked to play foul, or unfair. 'Fair is foul, foul is fair', no?"

"Damn you…Quoting **Shakespeare** to explain your ACTIONS! To justify them!?"

All Lawliet replied with was a nod of reassurance of B's correct question.

"Well, fuck you-"

"…"

"OH, erase that look off your face NOW!"

"What look?"

"T-That one eyebrow-lift thing you just pulled on me! You don't HAVE to talk all the time, your face says it all! Little tiny, subtle messages! Just from your expressions! It's annoying, L!"

"My face annoys you?"

"YES."

"…Then do something about it?"

Beyond let out a growl, like that of a wild cat, and whispered, in hushed tones, in an ominous manner, "Oh, I plan to. NO one mocks Beyond Birthday and gets away with it."

And with that comment, the killer lunged at the crouching raven, knocking Lawliet over, onto his back, thin, but strong hands belonging to a copy grasped L's wrists, pinning him to the ground; immediately, as Beyond's body settled on his, the detective had a sense of fear rush through him…but something else slinked along in his body as well. There was a thrill coursing through his veins at being dominated, being pinned and held, against his will, by the killer with the ruby regal eyes, whom himself smirked playfully at the original man underneath him.

"Gotcha, Lawli-pop." B whispered, his lips tickling the shell of L's ear, making the lanky body on the ground shiver and his bare toes curl.

"Yes…You did."

The killer chuckled, nuzzling into the raven's neck, humming a soft tune, of some song that Lawliet could not place a name to, "Mmm…Someone likes this."

"Oh? What makes you figure that, Beyond?"

"…My Lawli is not pushing me away, that's what makes me figure such a thing." Soft lips of a light pink touched the raven's ear, giving the pale body part a chaste kiss of sorts, "Frankly, I hope you don't push me away, I'm quite comfortable lying on top of you." The male, who had just been loud and whiny moments ago, now spoke in a calming tone, his body relaxing visibly, his voice, holding serenity, could be almost felt along the surface of skin.

"…Well I hope you do not plan to lie on me forever, which could cause issues. Like food, water and bathroom breaks."

"Heh…Yeah, I guess…I want to though."

"You want to lie on me forever?" The raven's question was truthfully, and rightfully so, incredulous.

"…Maybe…"

"Forever is a long time, Beyond…"

"…I know…"

The duo laid join together, in silence, for quite some time, Lawliet's arms being released at one point, only for them to come up around, almost on their own, and wrap around B's back; the killer's own appendages came to rest around L's own waist, heads lying near each other, neither man looking at one another, nor speaking. There was just breathing…

Breathing and Living…

"…Nothing lasts forever…"

"…I suppose not." L replied to the comment that had come out of nowhere from the nineteen year old above him.

"So you...have to make things work with the time you are given…"

"I suppose so. Are you…Are you getting to a point with these statements, Beyond?"

"….Nah, don't worry about it." Beyond tried to give the man he loved a smile, but, sadly, L saw right through it; yet, the raven spoke not of the façade, and just nodded in reply.

More silence, but not of the dreary kind, followed, and B made himself more comfortable on his "pillow" of the older one, who just snorted out of sheer humor.

"What? I can't get comfortable?"

"I'm not your couch."

"Nah, you're much better."

"…"

"Stop pouting, or I'll kiss it away." The tone in Beyond Birthday's done was not just serious, it was deathly serious.

"…Well-!!"

"…The pout didn't disappear fast enough for my liking, Lawli-chan." B grinned, smirking internally at how it was now L that was blushing like a teenage schoolgirl.

"…"

"Okay, well, I DO have something to take care of this morning. Casey needs my attention, feed her and all."

"Don't you feed her everyday!?" There was astonishment in L's voice that just made B laugh,

"Of course I do, do I look heartless and moronic to you?"

"Well, no, but you've been distracted, and-"

"Again, I may be distracted, but I'm not an idiot. Now come on, you're coming with me. How about…a race?"

"A wha-HEY!!"

_He's fast…_

It was true; in seconds, not even that, Beyond had hopped off of Lawliet, flinging open his bedroom door, and sprinted down the hall, leaving a shocked and flabbergasted L still lying down on the ground, eyes abashed with shock.

"…O-OH COME ON!" L yelled, hopping to his feet as rapidly as he could, and darted out of the room, right behind the cackling killer.

OooOOOOooooOOOOOOOOo

**Betouix's Floral Store**

OooOOOOOOOOooOOOOOooooooO

Benedict Betouix had gone through many an event in his forty-one years, all ranging from joyous, to sorrow, to enraging, to downright silly.

But he had never predicted he would be staring down the barrel of a loaded gun, a young, college-student-esque man having a finger on the trigger, with golden-honey eyes that spoke of fiery evil, like that of a Devil.

"…P-Please…I-Isn't that a tad rash-"

"Close the store." Raito Yagami ordered the older man, "Put the closed sign up, and dim the lights a bit. I don't want to be interrupted while doing this."

The French man complied, running quickly to flip the open sign to its "closed" setting, and as he strode to the light switches, a lightly-tan finger lowered the wattage that was coming from the halogen bulbs.

"Good. Now, let's talk, shall we?" The young Yagami smirked, "First question Betouix: Who is Biyokoi Buichi?"

"…Please...Ask me anything about any other subject, and I'll answer it…" Betouix felt defeated, and it showed as his rough tone began to wan to an extreme degree, "But things about Biyokoi-kun-"

BANG

"AHH!" Betouix let out a scream, thinking automatically he had been shot….Only to be in awe to find the shot had just been a blank bullet.

"That was the one blank you get, Betouix. I figured I'd make the first one a fake, just in case you had any rebellion in your veins. Now, I can't say the same for the next bullet, though…" Raito cocked the gun once more, and aimed it at the older male's body, "Now…WHO is BUICHI?!"

"…" Betouix complied with an answer, but he had spoken it so mutely, that Raito had not caught it at all; the ignorance of the store owner fueled Kira's rage, and the man screamed, "TELL ME OR I'LL SHOOT! And then I'll BURN THIS PLACE TO THE DAMN GROUND!"

"…H-He was my business partner alright! My best friend…M-My…lover…" Betouix's voice cracked, and ice-hued orbs became misty, "You happy now…? He's not here, and he wont' be here tomorrow, or the next day, or month, or EVER!"

"…" Raito remained in a stoic state of shock, the gun still pointing at Benedict, even when the older man ran to grab a Kleenex to dot his eyes with; only when Betouix stepped away did the brunette continue his questioning, "'Ever'? Where is he?"

"You're a cop, you tell me; Biyokoi went missing over six months ago. And no one has found him, or anything, and the-the warehouse is still the-there…b-but no one has seen him…" Betouix's strong frame actually quivered and a strong hand came out to punch the counter holding the register, "The only man who ever gave a DAMN about me is gone, and YOU cops didn't do a thing about it!"

Raito gazed in surprise as the rationality of the man was starting to fade, as his spirit was beginning to break down, "Why don't you start from the very beginning?"

The older man took a deep breath, and grabbed a chair from behind the counter, bringing it to the middle of the store, and sitting in it; not once being fazed by the gun that was still pointed his strong body.

"…I met Biyokoi Buichi in Tokyo, right here, about three blocks from this very shop, exactly two years ago; a coffee shop, to be precise. He was working there, part-time, to help support his own shipping business. He told me once that he shipped all sorts of oriental goods all across the oceans, I was quite impressed. Heh…When we first met, he was serving coffee to a patron, a pretty little lady, but far too young for him; but I remember walking in the door, and he looked at me…and then spilled coffee on the young woman's lap." Betouix laughed, continuing after a soft sigh, "He sat down to talk with me, and I couldn't believe how much we had in common. Despite being only twenty-six at the time, he was so intelligent, only having graduated from business school two years ago. Apparently, he had the right connections, and the money, and ran the business quite well. His coffee shop job was just extra money, mainly for himself, a nest egg, or to help his parents, who were retired at this time; sometimes that cash did help his business though."

"…So you two hit it off quite well?"

"Quite?" Another wry chuckle from Betouix, "Quite is putting it mildly. He was so sweet, so adorable; his boyish looks just made my heart melt. I had had another lover a long time ago, but unfortunately, he had passed on. Liver cancer and all had taken him. That had been over eight years ago, nearly nine, and I had not a partner since that time. Heh…Did I mention yet that Biyokoi and I are both born on the same day? November nineteenth."

"…No, you did not mention that…" Raito spoke quietly, still standing tall and proud, and his gun had not shifted from his target whatsoever.

"I think that is another reason we connected so well…We fell in love so quickly, it was almost dream like. Our first kiss was shared on that first night; actually, he initiated it. I was too afraid to do so…"

"You said you two became business partners? When did this take place?"

"…About two months after we had met. We were having a conversation in bed-"

"Sexually active at this time with him?"

Betouix snorted, grimacing, "I do not know what any business that is of **yours**, but yes, if you must know, that was the first time we made love. We were talking of the florist, and he proposed that we join businesses. A conglomerate of sorts; I'd share his warehouse, his staff, everything, and he told me 'You won't have to do a thing for me…except just be with me. Love me.'…The man was such a romantic, I had swept him off his feet apparently, and the feeling was reciprocated. So, 'Betouix's Floral Arrangements' became 'B and B Floral Arrangements' To commemorate the event, I planted my own flowers in a small garden area of the warehouse he owned, a garden if you shall say so. And we ran our business as such up until a certain point."

"…That voice on the answering machine…That's Buichi, isn't it?"

"…" And with that, Betouix lost another wall, and hiccupped a cry, "Yes…S-Sometimes I call the shop, so I can just hear his voice again…I-I miss him so much…"

"…" Raito silently walked to the counter, and grabbed a tissue, passing it to the older male, "Dry your eyes. And go on, tell me everything else."

After a sniffle and a blow of his nose, Benedict continued with,

"My flower shop boomed, it was not amazing, it was **miraculous**. Over those two years we were together, it dramatically increased, and though he was twenty-eight more recently, he still helped me run it all too professionally. Anyway, I now had customers world-wide, because Biyokoi sent catalogs with his own oriental goods that told of my floral arrangements, and what I could create. His business grew larger over time as well, but last year, he gave it up."

"Gave…it up?"

"He said to me one day, "Benny, your store is more important to me. I'm closing down my own, so we can expand yours. My staff has spoken that they will stay with me, wherever I go, and they'll support you. I just want to help your own business grow! We can support each other, I'll do it all for you, I swear!"…So we went with it. 'Biyokoi's Oriental Emporium' closed down, and my business became the head front for us both. It went perfectly, for Buichi put all of the money he had into the flowers; he set up a website, he made more catalogs, he even was able to put up a few stores in other countries, and a few even here in Japan and Asia…" Betouix paused, but then continued, "He sacrificed and did so much for me...He tried so hard; I think he...he was afraid."

"Afraid?"

"...Of losing me. I was twelve years his senior…I could have met someone else, I bet he figured that, but I also bet he believed if he tried hard enough, I'd never want another man. And I didn't. And I don't now; I plan to die alone. Just with me…and my flowers…" A stray tear fell from the man's sky-blue-gray eye, but Betouix quickly wiped it away, fearing that his weakness would be caught by the young Yagami.

"...Seems you lost a good man…"

"You have no idea, Sir…You have no idea. Do you have someone you love? More than anything else in this damned world?"

"…" Raito hesitated, and was even surprised at the obvious hesitation, but eventually replied with, "Yes."

"Can you imagine my pain then? At ALL?! I've tried not to think of him, but I do so everyday. When I wake up, and his side of the bed is covered up, un-used; when I go into my kitchen, and he's not there to chirp 'Morning, Benny-Boy', like he always used to, and hug me from behind, and kiss my cheek. I still hear his voice every morning, and every night, when I crawl under the covers and his side of the bed is once again not in use. I miss his warmth, his laughter, and during the day, when I'm here, I miss the antics he used to do, even more frequently on the slow days. He always entertained the two of us when not one customer came in. Sometimes he would hand me a flower, and quote some weird Shakespeare line…a-about a rose…I-It became my favorite line from that man…"

"…Why don't you tell me about when Biyokoi disappeared, please?"

After gazing at the brunette with worn eyes, Betouix nodded, stating,

"It all started six months ago…when we received bills and a letter in the mail…"

OoOoOOoooooOoOoOooOOooOOOOooo

**Beyond's Warehouse**

OoOOOOOOOOOOOOoOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooO

"Stop staring."

"…I'm not staring Lawli."

"Yes, yes, you are!" L pouted as he situated himself once more; not five minutes ago had the puppy under Beyond's care decided that her master's lap was not suitable enough for her taste, so she proceeded to occupy the space of L's. This was hardly a comfortable situation for the detective, who prompted a pout at the action, even more so when he realized he would have to sit Indian style due to the tiny, barking "monster". It probably would not have been too terrible if Beyond had not proceeded to openly gawk and smile at the actions of the raven and the dog, and even fawn over how "cute" they were.

"….Beyond…" The older male gave off in a warning tone, but B just scoffed, stating,

"Oh come on, anyone would say that that is adorable, what's wrong with me watching you?"

"..." L was too much of a dominating, shy-slash-reclusive man to admit the attention from the killer was not just flattering, but embarrassing; how Beyond had established the ability to stare like the original man was quite astounding.

"I'll take your silence as you stating that it is okay for me to watch you, then?"

"…As you wish, I won't stop you. Or can't stop you, if we want to state it in better terms."

"Good, you're so much easier to comply with now, aren't ya?" BB laughed infectiously, "Really, I bet if you went around and asked everyone who knew you intimately, they'd all say that you, dear L, were a pain in the derriere of most."

The raven just snorted, with a roll of his eyes, "Oh? And they would not say the same of you-Oh, very, very mature, Beyond."

"Wha? All I did was stick my tongue out at you…" The killer waited a moment before repeating his action, but surprisingly, Lawliet only just laughed, and returned his attention to the dog snuggling up against him on his lap.

The duo continued to pass the moments in silence, B slyly scooting closer to the detective, gazing upon the serene man, who ran his hand across the tri-colored fur of the dog; L only let out a sound, it being a content sigh, when Beyond made the motion to run a hand through the older one's locks once more, the habit had become soothing for both of them over the past few days, and eventually, Lawliet's head leaned into the caresses, as if it was a separate entity.

"Like that?"

"Mmm..." L hummed contently, continuing with, "This isn't a healthy environment for her…"

"Who? The dog?"

"No, the stripper you keep in the closet, of course the dog!" L snorted once more, the remark causing B to pout, but the raven just continued on with, "Being kept in a cage for so long, only being let out once and a while, when you have time, and she never sees sunlight. And how many times do you clean up that cage? Hmm? And what about feeding-"

"Okay, where's your point Mama Lawliet?"

"…Wipe that smirk off your face, Beyond Birthday, or I shall-"

"Okay, okay, sorry, jeeze…But seriously, what are you getting at?"

"…" L remained silent for a moment, trying to choose his words carefully, "Maybe...Maybe you should give her up...Give her to someone else…"

"…I-I...I don't know…"

"Beyond, you know this setting is not the best for an animal, despite it being domesticated." The older one insisted.

"B-But she…" A minute, simple sigh came from the killer, "She's all I've had for the longest time, L…You just can't give that kind of thing up that quickly, you know."

"Understandable. Giving up something that has been the only thing one had had for a long period of time is probably one of the harder tasks mankind must do often. But, it can be done. Besides, Beyond…"

"…What?" L had trailed off, turning his head away from the other, and after a minute or two of prodding from B (along with some poking), the raven confessed the last of his statement,

"She, the dog, is not the only thing you have in your life now, is she?"

That lone statement made blood-hued eyes stare in silent awe, knowing the mute words Lawliet was really stating, the meaning behind that question, the real words, and the subtle context:

_I'm part of your life now, too…_

"…N-No, I guess she isn't…" B gave a small smile, and his will to jump the raven at that moment was increasing exponentially, a tiny blush of a rose was begging to bloom on Beyond's pretty and pasty face, but his will, though waning, was strong enough to stop the embarrassment there. "But where do we take her…? I have to admit...you're right, she belongs in a better environment, but where?"

"…" The detective silently handed the pup in his lap over to her master's arms, L now able to sustain the classic posture and pose he normally had, and the lanky man wrapped lean arms around his legs, his obsidian orbs locked onto the ground, his thumb resting on his lips; it was only after a few moments of no speech, save for Casey's barking, that L stated, "A child."

"…Well, that WOULD be the ideal situation, L, but one, do you know any kids around here, and two, I can't really go up to a kid and say 'Here, little girl, have my puppy', without the brat screaming like a banshee and running off to their mum."

"…Won't have to."

"Huh?"

Lawliet continued to stare at the floor, his memory still foggy, but a beacon of remembrance was beginning to clear it; he was recalling a sight he had just happened to chance upon when himself and Beyond had ventured out into the city, to the store, a few days ago…Oh, he remembered the rain…the kiss in the rain…But there was something more…

When the duo had snuck into the store…through the front door…

About three feet from the entrance had been a small box…cardboard…an old shipping company's box…For food, if he remembered correctly…

And in the box…

Five or six puppies had rested, barking, some being looked at, others taken by kind, warm hands, of adults or young children; all the while, a young girl, and an elder, Lawliet supposed him to be the child's grandfather, were sitting nearby, under a large, red-and-white umbrella to shield themselves from the rain, while their pups were taken away, to better, safer homes.

Yes…L remembered it clearly…He knew not why the memory stuck out to him now, but the famous detective had always had the memory like that of a genius, which, well, he **was **one, so it was understandable.

"…I know where we can take her."

"Huh? Where? C'mon, give me more details than that. I'm not just leaving my dog at some crappy shelter, Lawli…"

"No, there was...I remember a place that we can, hopefully, leave her. It was not far from here, not far at all."

"…You haven't been outside here except when-…" B stopped, and then shook his head, "NO, Lawliet, you KNOW we can't go back there! What if someone from the store sees us-"

"We shall be fine, Beyond, I have a plan; besides, the drop-off site, I suppose that is what you could call it, was not directly in front of the store, and if we hide our faces, then there should not be a problem."

Beyond Birthday only replied with a snort, standing up, the puppy yapping a soft melody in his arms; walking directly out of the room silently, he came back a few moments later with the same hooded sweatshirts the two men had worn for their previous outing into the real world, and the killer tosses one at the now-standing Lawliet.

"I sure hope you know what you're doing, Lawliet."

The raven gave a light chuckle, "Why, Beyond, don't I always?"

Though neither man gave a remark after that comment, L, in his mind, answered for the copy:

_No. No I do not always know…_

…_Especially when it comes to you, Beyond…_

OOoOOoOOOOOOOOoooOoo

**Betouix's Floral Shop**

**Eleven Fifteen A.M.**

OooOoOoOOOooooooOOooOoOOOoOooOOo

"...Bills? A letter?" Raito interrogated more so, confusion now cleanly visible on his handsome face, "I'm...not following, Benedict."

The older, European male looked extremely tired, worn, mentally and physically, by this point in the game, but he let out a sigh, shaking his head while running a strong hand through his light sunny locks,

"I guess one could call it the 'beginning of the end' for both of us; it started when we received bills…credit bills…for things Buichi-kun and I had never purchased."

"Such as?"

"…Train tickets were one I remember. Newspaper subscriptions, but then weirder bills started to come along. Food services bills; you know, those companies that will deliver your food to your home or business, instead of you having to pick it up? That sort of thing. We also had bookstore purchases, for a plethora of authors; some I read, others I don't and neither did Biyokoi so we were fairly suspicious. Some weaponry was purchased too; I think one gun was, but I noticed that lots of the bills came from…kitchen stores. Kitchen knives, butcher knives, that sort of thing. Oh, and dog food and supplies were billed to us too."

"…And you're saying Biyokoi never purchased any of-"

"NO!" A fiery passion of wrath exploded from nowhere in Betouix's eyes, "I KNOW what my lover did and did not buy! I KNOW!"

"Alright, I apologize; please, Sir, remain calm. We wouldn't want to upset me, would we?" Raito waved the gun still firmly being held in his hands in a mocking manner, and the French man only glowered,

"And you called yourself a cop…"

"No, I'm not a cop, as you can guess; you could call me a...'Forceful Private Detective'."

"…Well, whatever you are, you're sinful. God help you, when you leave here."

"If that is your opinion of myself, then so be it. But I can't make any promises God will help me, or that I shall seek out that help."

_Why seek it out when I __**am**__ God…?_

After clearing his throat, and wiping his teary eyes once more, Betouix continued,

"We received these bills six months ago, over a period of…oh, two, three weeks, and by the time we got the final one, we were quite suspicious. In any case, when you called last night and suspected stolen credit, you were correct. We assume my lover's credit card or cards were stolen, and they were used to buy these various goods. The largest bill we got was the temporary use of a computer. Apparently, someone had rented out a computer from a business, and then returned it. And we then owed said business seven-hundred dollars…" Betouix shook his head, and began rubbing his temple in agony.

"You also said you received a letter, what of that?"

"…"

The forty-one year old remained quite for some time, his icy eyes glued to the ground, the expression on his face full of dread, as if he was trying to starve off the returning memories and fears, but was failing; like that of a fallen soldier, he let out a groan, and raised his head, his orbs holding a dead stare,

"The day we received that 'letter' was the last day I saw my Buichi…"

"What did the letter contain?"

"…It was some letter from a bank. It stated that they suspected that Biyokoi's credit had been stolen, and that bank officials would like to meet with him, so they could settle the problems. I immediately suspected something fowl from that letter, it was just too…too coincidental that he gets one right after we get these bills over a period of weeks! But, no, no, I just had to let him go, the damn fool, he was so naïve, so childish, he never suspected evil or hatred in anyone! DAMMIT!" The sandy-blonde man let out a punch, and hit a nearby standing table, sending the perched flower arrangement on top of it flying to the floor with a crash, "WHY?! Why did I let him go…?"

"So…he went to this bank?"

"THERE WAS NO BANK!!" Now Betouix was crying full-sized tears, "That letter was a fake! Supposedly, according to the letter, the bank was situated in the area near Biyokoi's warehouse, and he just thought it was a new bank that had recently been put up there, and since he figured he could kill two birds with one stone at once, he stated he would go, check it out, and take care of a few shipping arrangements for my flowers...B-But he walked right out that front door, and never came back. I waited up all night, and he never showed up. And I called the warehouse that night at ten, and…t-the line…h-had been disconnected…"

"Disconnected?" Sepia eyes widened as he began to piece puzzle pieces in his own mind.

"Yes. And I tried to get into contact with the staff of the warehouse but not a soul answered or picked up. And so, on the third day, I drove down there to the supposed address of the 'bank'…a-and there was a fishing wharf there…A-A sort of shipping area, and fishing area, b-but...N-No bank. I broke down there, I was so scared…I assumed the worst, and I still do."

"…He vanished. They all did." Raito finished for Betouix, who just nodded,

"I could not believe it. It was as if he had just…disappeared off the face of the Earth. Some people remember seeing him around that area, but there was no clear remembrance. No clear vision in their heads. I tried to track down where the letter was written, but I had no luck. It had been made by some private person or persons. Probably on a home computer."

"What about the police-?"

"DON'T even get me started on those bastards. Oh, they tried to 'investigate', SURE! They did NOTHING! I ran straight to them after the first day he was gone, and they said they would 'look into it'. But sometimes I wonder if someone made them shut up or something. In the beginning, they did some searches, but after the first week, they let the case drop."

"Did they ever say why?"

Benedict shook his head, "No, Yagami. They did not. They just said, 'We think he does not want to be found'. Even their behavior towards me was off; they were colder, more insensitive, and I wonder if they were forced to shut down the case, you know, as if they were blackmailed or something, or if they were prejudice because I was gay. Maybe both?"

"Perhaps…And he's been gone ever since then…?"

"…Yes. Buichi walked right out that door, and took a train, and never came home. Did I tell you that I waited up at night for seven days in a row, just to see if he was sneaking in at night, and then leaving in the morning? Or just in case I heard a noise of him at night? I did stay up all those hours, and it was the worst week of my life."

Raito remained silent for some time, staring at the older one, the misery of Betouix was nearly touchable, one could nearly taste it; the blonde reached over and grabbed another Kleenex from the counter, blowing his nose like a trumpet, and shaking his head, continuing in a grieving manner,

"His kindness and naivety was so adorable, but I always joked with him, 'Biyokoi, that sort of attitude will get you killed!'…I'm sorry I ever said such a thing. I just know someone killed him…"

"You can't prove that, though…"

"OH? A man just disappears from his lover, and possibly future fiancé, and never returns home, what WOULD you call that then, Yagami-kun, if you cannot refer to it as a possible murder?"

"Well…" The brunette trailed off; he could list of reasons that were indeed possible, such as Buichi truly not wanting to be found, but the coincidences of everything that had happened, not just with this pair of foolish mortals, but Bernard Buchwald and Bantini Bemouir as well. "…I guess I cannot really say, Sir."

"Of course you can't, you young little…" Betouix trailed off, sighing, "My question is why, and who, would want to kill my little Buichi? Why? I suspect the person who stole his credit, but I went to another branch of the same bank, and they said not only had they not made a letter and sent it to Biyokoi Buichi's address, they did not remember Biyokoi using the bank whatsoever."

"He was not in the records of the bank?"

"….According to THEM, no. But I did not trust their word. The tellers had been acting suspicious, so-"

"That sound a little paranoid, Sir."

"…Your lover did not disappear off the face of the Earth, Yagami-kun, so I suggest you keep your fruitless opinions to yourself." The forty-one year old snarled at the Yagami, with a glare of pure bloody hatred as well.

"…" Raito could have made a rebuttal, but refuted against it, "I suppose not. Now, you said the tellers were acting suspicious?"

"…I suspect that they were blackmailed, or told to act coldly towards me for a certain reason, because…I received more letters from a real bank afterwards."

"…Really?"

"Yes. Apparently…someone was still paying off the warehouse."

Chocolate eyes widened like that of a UFO saucer's underside, soft, red-ish lips opening a tad, "…Y-You mean…Someone has been paying off bills for the warehouse? And it is not you?"

Betouix shook his head, "No, I have not been. I decided that since Biyokoi was gone, and so was the staff of the warehouse, I would cut off all the monetary ties I had with Biyokoi, just for safety, if no other reason; but I did want to do so because of the memories as well. There was also no one else I could ask for help because my parents had, well, though they are still alive, but aged, they had cut off all ties with me two years ago when I took Biyokoi as my lover; apparently the age difference bothered them even more so than my homosexuality. The same cannot apply to Buichi's parents, for they were killed in a train accident about two months before he vanished."

"I see...So someone was paying off the money then? You said you received bills?"

"Correct. They were some bills, but I got a lot more of something else…like confirmation statements. Stating, 'Biyokoi Buichi, you have paid off your'…Oh, utilities bill, water bill, heating bill, etcetera, for your property on…Well, you know how those letters are."

"Indeed." Raito bit his bottom lip, getting an idea in his brain, the cogs of his mind turning, knowing where his next stop was to be:

Biyokoi's Warehouse.

But Raito needed more information, and the genius needed to confirm that the address that was on the e-mail he had received was the correct one for the warehouse's numbers and street.

"…So what have you been doing up to this point? Do you ever visit the warehouse?"

Betouix shook his head, "No, too many memories; and there's no point now, because I do not receive anymore letters talking of bills or confirmation letters. They stopped coming after two months ago; as if...someone changed the address of who was to receive that sort of mail. Or perhaps at this point it is truly abandoned, or the man using Biyokoi's account after all this time ran out of money. But I actually believe the address was changed."

"That is what you guess?"

"Hmm, yes. Sometimes I wonder and conjure up my own theories, and that is one of them…" Betouix sighed, "But no, I have not bothered to venture to the warehouse. I probably should have, and I am almost tempted to do so now, but…" The man shook his head, "No, I probably won't…"

There was something in Benedict's tone that the younger of the two in the shop was not fond of, but he could not quite place a name on it; perhaps Raito was not trusting Betouix when it came to him never visiting the warehouse? Yes, yes, that had to be it. But then what could he do? Oh, no, Raito knew what he was to do. He had not planned for **this** information to be handed to him, but it gave him more of a motive to do the final actions that he had planned for this 'visit'.

"…What was the last thing Buichi said to you, if I may ask?"

_Yes, yes, get him more emotional…It will be easier to confirm that address, and it will be easier…to finish this. _

"…'I love you, I'll see you soon'…The last part sometimes stings; 'see you soon' means a lot to me…When will I see you then? Is what I ask aloud some nights, when I'm just talking to the air, when no one's really there…When I am talking to his spirit, I suppose. Heh…Sometimes I get scared, and worried, and wonder if he ran off with a younger man, but then I remind myself this is the same man who asked if we were going to stay together for the rest of our lives, the same man who did all he could to please me. He...He would never abandon me…"

"He does not sound like that kind of man, Betouix-san." Raito affirmed for the depressed soul, who just gave a worn nod, and stated,

"I can just hope that whatever happened to him, he did not suffer much…And who knows, maybe I shall see him again…"

"Mmm…Betouix-san, if I can ask you one thing-"

"Yes? Go on, I might as well dispose all I truly know now…"

"…I need you to re-affirm some information for me."

OoOOOooOOOOOoOOOOOOOOoOOOOOooO

**Small City outside Kanto, **

**A Few Blocks From Beyond's Warehouse**

**Eleven-Fifteen A.M.**

OoOOoooooOoOoOOOooooooOOooOOOOOoOOooOooOOoOO

"I don't see it!" Beyond's voice was in an annoyed sing-song tone, and he rolled his ruby eyes, "Really, L, I don't see this 'box of dogs'."

"I remember it! I swear!"

The two, un-handcuffed once more (Though Lawliet would be damned if he mentioned that, or how much he enjoyed it), were roaming the back-alleyways in search of the supposed pair of humans and box of dogs that the raven had spotted a few days ago; Beyond and his partner had traveled to the grocery from before, but, to one's surprise, the box of dogs was no longer there. And so Lawliet had insisted on a man-hunt for the box, all the while, Casey was yelping with annoyance, for B had wrapped her up in a blanket, and was holding her close, and extremely tightly, lest she run off and vanish for good.

"Yeah, yeah, and I remember everything too!"

"Beyond, trust me; I remember seeing it-"

"At the GROCER'S. But guess WHAT, genius, there WERE NO DOGS THERE!"

"…I-I know…"

B started when he heard the stutter, and a wave of gloom washed over his heart; had his yelling been too harsh? Only one way to find out, so the killer continued in a hush, sweet tone,

"….Ah…L-Lawli, hey, we'll find it. You wouldn't just make that up…"

"…Yes."

BB pouted at himself internally, turning his head away from the other, disgusted. It seemed that each time he and L took five steps forward, he, B, always seemed to bring them four steps back by his own stupidity. He should have known L was still volatile when it came to compassion and harsh words! Not to mention the man had a mood synonymous to that of a woman…but that opinion would never exit B's own thoughts.

Muted talking passed between the men, and by muted, one can say safely that it was pure silent. Only stolen glances from each other were what occurred as both Beyond and Lawliet traversed the alleyways in secret, looking on street corners and the sidewalks for the same people that L described, along with the box of puppies.

Twenty minutes passed, and not one sighting of anything similar brought down L's mood severely; had he imagined all of that?

The two decided to rest in a drier alley, hidden from the prying eyes of any pedestrian; backs against a brick wall as the summer sunlight shined down, neither spoke, but both sighed,

"Well, L, we tried…Hey, cheer up, okay? We tried, that was all we could do." B piped up a few moments afterwards.

Lawliet hummed in agreement as he moved into a crouch, disappointed in himself for what had not been found.

"…Lawli-pop, you better wipe that pout off your face. You know I hate to see you upset."

Ebony orbs glanced towards the copy, who gave a slight smile to his original, older man; instantly, Lawliet found his shoulders relaxing, and he scooted closer to the younger man, as if his body and mind were separate entities.

"I apologize for dragging you and the dog out here without one-hundred percent sure confirmation."

"Psh, don't worry about it. And…I-I didn't mean to snap at you, it's how I am sometimes L! Please understand…I-I can be hotheaded…and…w-well, I always hurt people…Always."

"..." L gave a tiny grin at the black-shirt adorning copy, and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Well, we could always go back? They do not seem to be around, and Casey is…uh…getting anxious…"

It was true; the black-white-brown dog was wiggling around in Beyond's arms, and her barking had increased to louder decibels.

"Uh, no shit Sherlock." B laughed, trying to hold onto the dog tighter as the wiggling and fiddling, "Jeeze, she's never been like this before…Wonder what's up with her."

Lawliet scooted his body to be able to face Beyond, to help him steady and control the dog more, but alas, it was futile. And after Casey popped her head out of the covers of the blanket all the way, her ears perked up, her body freezing on the drop of a dime, like a statue.

"Eh? You think she has rabies?"

L just gave Beyond a classic, 'what in the world are you talking about' look, and it made the tough nineteen-year old stick out his tongue like a child, trying to hide the small angel's kiss of a blush he had acquired; but before another word could be spoken, the puppy in Beyond's arms jumped, no, leaped like a wild animal, and took off running.

"DAMMIT!" Beyond cursed, not at all quietly, and took off after the creature, the raven following.

The wide-open wharf-esque city was fairly large, with its fishing and shipping and warehouses, even though it was nothing compared to Kanto and Tokyo and the Osaka district. Thankfully, the two men did not have to go far as voices of women, men, and children rang out around them, along with bike bells and cars, and even a few boats out in the warm water; with hoods up on their sweatshirts, the copy and his raven could spy the dog about five feet in front of them…

Jump into the arms of an excited girl.

"…WHA-?!" Before Beyond could finish the rest of his exclamation, L grabbed his thin arm, and pulled him behind the nearest building, into the alleyway behind a small coffee shop.

"Shh, just watch."

L had chosen the perfect viewing site; there was the pup, which licked the small, peachy face of the short black-haired girl, who giggled excitedly, shouting the word, "Akikaze" over and over again, "Otou-san! Come look! I found her, I knew I would!"

"Eh? What the hell is an 'akikaze'…?"

"…It means Autumn Breeze. And it is…probably the dog's real name."

"…Oh." Beyond had forgotten it was he who had named the dog 'Casey', and that he had found the creature. And the truth was, the dog already belonged to someone else, and the killer knew, deep in his black heart, he had no right to own her.

The reunion between master and animal was sweet, and it made Lawliet smile on the inside, but not the out; for the World's Greatest Detective did not need to have that profession to see B was hurting, that B was having his heart being broken a fairly good amount by losing another friend, even if it was not a human friend.

"Come on, Beyond, let us go back…" A bony appendage came to rest on BB's shoulder, and it awoke the young man out of the sad reverie he had sunk into.

"…Alright…Hey, uh, L, I just want to say…Thanks…" A pained smile came onto B's face, "You were right, she's…she's in a better environment now. She's where she belongs."

"Yes, and now let us return to where** we** both belong-" L blinked at his own statement, realizing he had said those words without much conscious thought; where they **both **belonged…did this mean that it was true? That the sense of belonging L Lawliet had been feeling with B's presence was indeed a true thing? Realistic?

"What was that Lawli?"

"…Let's go back."

"…" B gave the other a questioning glance, hoping to prod the rest of the older male's statement out of him, but it was to no avail; and the younger human decided not to press, only giving the other a nod of compliance, and the two began walking back the way they came.

…Though before they could get far, Beyond heard the dog give a soft whine and bark, and glancing over his shoulder, he saw Casey…No, Akikaze…Giving him a soulful, questioning look, with a tinge of sadness in those dark-amber orbs.

But all Beyond did was nod, and give a small wave to the creature, and continued on his path; for it was time to let go, let the creature go. She belonged with the family whom had taken her in from the very start, and though the dog gave a mournful cry, the killer did not turn around…

...For he heard a happier cry of the dog, and the girl, not even a moment later.

It was a sign; a sign of what was to be, the good things that were to come.

And Beyond had no doubt that Casey-or-Akikaze was to be okay…

She was where she belonged…

But…

Beyond was not where he belonged; for he knew not where he did belong.

And he was far from sure if he was going to be okay…

OooOOOOOoOOooOoOOoooooOOoooooOOo

**Betouix's Floral Shop**

OoOOoOOOoooOOooOOOOOOOOoOOOOoOoOoOOooOOooOoo

"W-Why must I TELL you?!"

"Because. I. Say. So."

Fear was the main emotion that Betouix was showing at this point; the brunette in front of him kept asking for reassurance on the address of his missing lover's warehouse, and Benedict was far from easy on the subject. He had no idea why the man was so insistent, nor why **he **was so fearful to divulge the information. Perhaps because this was such a private matter to Betouix? Or because, deep down, he himself wished to find out what had happened to his Biyokoi first, and venture to the warehouse first? Maybe both.

"P-Please, I do not know what you would get out of going there-"

"You…Have no idea…" Raito whispered, and the light shining in his sepia eyes was scaring the French man to epic degrees, "Now…Will I have to shoot a hole in the ceiling to get you to tell me?"

The gun, yes, the gun…Oh, Betouix could not forget about that…The man knew his choices…

Giving the young kid the information he wanted, and not get hurt and-or killed, or keep his pride, be able to possibly be the first one to investigate the truth at the warehouse by keeping the information, and most likely get shot.

"…F-Fine_. _It's…7813 Hikiari Plex Avenue. Not far outside of Kanto." Benedict whispered oh so quietly.

Betouix felt like breaking down on the spot, but his pride had not been completely totaled, so he stayed put. All the while, the Yagami gave off a triumphant smile.

_The exact same address that was in the e-mail…_

_Haha…HAHAHAHA! I found him, he has to be there, there's no other place Beyond Birthday could BE!_

"…Y-You going to write that down?" The flower store's owner piped up while hanging his head; his tone was extremely quiet, like that of a mouse's, "You should, so you can remember it…"

"Oh, you're right, one-hundred percent right." Raito smiled as he took out a journal from his coat's pocket, all the while Ryuk smiled and chuckled his classic "Hehehehehe…"

For, the Death God knew the truth…

When Raito flipped open the book, to a place he had marked, there was a regular sheet of lined paper…

And a sheet of the Death Note slipped right inside the journal.

Raito quickly began to write all he needed to; he did not bother wasting time writing that address, he already knew it by heart, and he still had the e-mail in possession.

"A-Are you writing down everything I told you today?" Betouix asked softly, and the Yagami just nodded, trying to hide his classic demonic smile, and was able to do so quite well.

Though, that was all a lie, for Raito really wrote the following…on the Death Note's sheet:

_Benedict Betouix_

_11: 29 A.M._

_June 2nd, 2004_

_Suicide_

_After meeting with a man who calls himself a private detective, Benedict Betouix, after locking all the doors and windows that provide an entrance/exit into his store, in a fit of despair and loss, breaks every single flower arrangement in his shop, takes a piece of glass, and makes small cuts on his fingers, causing them to bleed. He then spreads the blood all around the walls, writing out words such as 'love', 'Biyokoi', and 'missing'. He then runs around and destroys his apartment upstairs, and eventually, after being reminded of his lover by the 'detective', and wanting to end his sorrowful life, finds a gun that is nearest to him, and kills himself with a shot to the head, ending his life with a scream of 'BIYOKOI', right in the middle of his shop._

…

…_Excellent…All according to plan…_

Raito glanced at his watch, the time reading eleven-twenty-six; perfect, indeed, only three minutes to spare.

"…S-So where will you go from here, Yagami-kun?"

Ah, how Kira had broken the strong, powerful man with his questioning; it was pitiful. But then, that was why Kira was sparing the man any more agony, right? It **certainly** did not have to deal with the reason that Kira would **not** allow the man to search that warehouse first, and have the chance of ruining the God of the New World's master plan, right?

"Oh? Well, I have some men under my command that might be able to help me with this. You see, we believe the man who hurt your Biyokoi may have targeted similar people, with similar methods."

"Ah! Then I want to help, please! I may be able to assist you!"

…Eleven-Twenty-Seven…

"Oh, no, I am sorry, I cannot allow that." Raito proclaimed smoothly, "We really do not want any innocents getting in the way-"

"INNOCENT?! How am **I** an innocent!?"

"You were never directly attacked by this man, this credit thief, and possible murderer; just because your lover was does not mean we can just let you walk right in and start working. Your testimonies will help, but-"

"NO! PLEASE! You SHOULD let me do this, YOU-"

"I think…You're going to listen to me." The brunette ordered, and once more, waved his Browning pistol, the point near Betouix with each careful flick of the wrist.

"…Please…You do not even know how much it would mean to me…"

…Eleven-Twenty-Eight…

"Oh, I know, but you see…This is my job…And you're a smart man, but I can't let you interfere."

"WHY?"

"…" Raito let out a dark laugh, and Benedict visibly shivered, "Why?"

"Yes, WHY?"

"….Because this is MY job…I have my own things at stake…My own goals, my own soon-to-be lover, my future…You're nothing to me. You're nothing to…" The young man stopped, scooting closer to the elder male; and he bent down low, to whisper in the French man's ear,

"You're nothing to Kira."

Betouix gave a gasp, but he could not utter a word, for…

...Eleven Twenty-Nine…

The forty-one year old's body stiffened, and his eyes became glazed over, in a foggy haze as they became half mast. His lips parted just a tad, his shoulders slumping slightly.

"Now, I'm afraid we'll have to part, Betouix-san." Raito stated cheerfully.

"…Yes." Was all the other man stated in a monotone.

"And I am not sure when I can get back to you…"

"…Understood, Yagami-kun. You should probably go now."

The Yagami nodded, and with a slight bow, exited the store; the instant his foot touched the sidewalk outside, Raito heard screaming from inside the building, along with the orchestra of breaking glass, cursing, and pitiful wails.

"Hehehe…Very impressive, Raito…" Ryuk commented as the brunette strode over to the side of the building next door, leaning against it nonchalantly, acting as if he had not a care in the world.

He had chosen the perfect spot, for the young man could still hear the shouting of Betouix, it was that loud. Patrons of Japan passing by heard the commotion as well, but only looked on in awe, some yelling at the man to stop, trying to break in, but failed.

…And Raito did not leave the area until the gunshot from the store rang out like a gong, the scream of the name of the missing Buichi's first name echoing in the air…along with the onlookers' screams of horror and pure, unfiltered, fear…

OoOooOOooOoooOOoOOoOoOoOOOooooOOoo

**Beyond's Warehouse**

**Nine P.M.**

OoOOoOooOOoOOOoOOooOOOooOOooooOOooooooOoO

"Checkmate."

"DAMMIT LAWLIET!!"

"Now, now, be a good sport, Beyond." The detective laughed; that was the fifth time that day and night that Lawliet had beaten the killer. Though, L was quite proud of the man, for B had vested L three times, but he could not blame the young male for being a tad pouty.

"Grrr…Still…You won the majority. Alright, I'll live up to my end of the deal."

After coming "home" from setting Casey free, the two had decided to go into an all-out chess match, which was something to do besides read, talk, and eat. In the end, whoever lost the most games would have to do one thing, whatever it may be, that the other wanted. B had promised that he, if he was to win, would NOT solicit anything sexual, and L promised the likewise (though there was barely any need for Lawliet to make such a promise).

"Fine." L paused, staring at Beyond, not stating a word for many moments, leaving the killer in such dire suspense that he eventually shouted out,

"SPILL IT ALREADY, DAMMIT!!"

"…Outside."

"…E-Excuse me?"

"…I want to go back outside. With you. To the garden. That spell it clearly enough, Beyond?"

"…That's all?"

The huffy look that L shot his companion made B wish he had not stated such, but he could not take it back now. Was there something special behind Lawliet wanting to go outside?

"Well, in a way, yes. I just…want to go outside with you. It's a nice warm night, why not?"

"…Alright, come on." B tried to hide the joyous smile that threatened to burst onto his thin face, but some of the happiness leaked through like primordial ooze, "Ya want me to carry you too?"

This time, the look L shot Beyond was anything but nice, but the killer just scoffed and laughed, stating, "What? Princess likes to walk on his pretty, widdle bare feet?"

"…Just lead the way, please?"

The copy laughed again, and only grabbed onto L's arm, but instead of dragging him out the door, he pulled the original closer, and entwined their arms tightly, and when L made no sort of protest, spoke softly,

"Of course, my Lawliet…As you wish."

There was a beet-red blush on the detective's face, and as the men walked back down towards the door leading out into the garden of flowers, the miraculous flowers that seemed to grow on nothing but sun, air, water, and love…

….L was glad it was dark so BB, who was all so close, could not see the red mark of desire and embarrassment on his pretty, pasty face…

OoOOoooOoooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOoOoooO

**Raito Yagami's Room-Nine P.M**

OoooOOoooOOOOOOOoOOooOOooOoOooOOoOOoOOooOO

"…And…There."

Raito lifted up his pen at the letter he had just finished writing; his clean penmanship sparkled brightly underneath his desk's lamp as he read over the wording, and the expected receiver's name…

…L.

"Eh? Raito, why did you write that thing?"

"…Just in case something happens to me, Ryuk. Just in case. I plan to drop it off in a secret spot at the hotel tomorrow, before I go to the warehouse."

"Ah, you're taking precautions in case you get killed by Beyond. Even though you're NOT sure he's there."

"Oh, he has to be, Ryuk," Raito assured his Shinigami, "Beyond Birthday has run out of hiding places."

"Ah…And that call to Misa earlier?"

Raito recalled what the demon was referring to; the Kira had called the Second Kira, his "girlfriend", and told her he was going on a "dangerous mission" that dealt with "Kira's work", and though he was fairly sure he was going to come back alive, just in case he did not, Misa was to give up the Death Note the moment she found out about his death, with no hesitation whatsoever. Misa complied, but begged and wailed for Raito to take her with him on his "Super fantastical dangerous mission of doom!" (Her words, not mine, nor Raito's), but of course, the brunette declined the model's company.

"That was all taken care of; she knows what is to occur...well, to a degree anyway."

"So…when you head to the warehouse tomorrow, what are you gonna use on B?"

"Hmm? Oh, you mean weapon-wise…"

"Yeah, yeah, s'not like you can use the Death Note, am I right?"

"Exactly. Actually…I plan to bring along just my dad's gun."

"So no Death Note at ALL? I get why you can't bring the actual book, but-"

"THINK about it, Ryuk," Raito interrupted, rather rudely, "If I bring even a piece of the Death Note, and try to use it, L is going to see, or may see my actions. And even if he **doesn't **see, don't you think he'd be suspicious that Beyond Birthday dies right when I show up?"

"…Maybe…But Kira wants L dead, and if you save L-"

"Yes, but Kira wants to kill L **himself**, not let anyone else do it."

"Ahh…I get it. So you're just gonna march in there, wave that gun around, threaten to shoot L's kidnapper, possibly shoot L's kidnapper, and then save your precious human?"

"Precisely. I'll come off as a police officer, which I almost am. And if I save L like so, he may suspect myself LESS if I get lucky."

"Ahh…Hehehehehe…Well, you certainly know best, don't you Raito? I'll say no more."

"Good, because I'll listen to you no more. Now be quiet, I have to head to bed, early start tomorrow and all."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." The demonic Death God droned out, "Whatever. Just…Have fun tomorrow, I'll be watching you, it's sure to be quite a show…kehehehehe…"

"Oh, of course it will be, Ryuk!" Raito proclaimed, grabbing the pajamas he would need as he headed towards his shower, and then he would be off to bed,

"It's always fun to see a game end…and how the losers react…"

Yes…

Game…

Because…

Beyond's Game…

Was officially Over…

Come Sunrise…

OoOOOoOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A/N:

WOOT!! Another long chapter, YAY : D AND CLIFFHANGER TIEMZ WOO!

Haha, it's so long because I didn't want to break any of it up, my fault! ;D And I DID want to get this out before the end of the month, and I did, YAY! ^^

I'll be replying to all of the reviews I've received so far very, very soon, and oh my, we're getting so much closer to the end! : O Only five more chapters to go!

Thanks so much for reading, I'll be updating this again, once more, very shortly! ^^

Song Inspiration:

- Almost Lover --- A Fine Frenzy ((For Betouix and Buichi's back-story))

- Better Days - Goo Goo Dolls

Oh, and why is Casey's real name Akikaze? Because my other dog's name is Autumn Breeze! XD But, we call her Clare for short, it was the old name her breeder gave her. So yes, I decided to put in my other dog's name in here, to immortalize her as well ^-^


	17. Passion

A/N: I said I would be updating something else next right? Right? Hehe…Okay, so MAYBE that wasn't entirely TRUE, but…(Sweat drop) XD

Well, yes, there's another update of our Bloody Tale, because I really want to focus on it! We're so close to the end, and everything's set to go! ^^ I promise, I'll TRY to focus on the other stories, hence the word TRY ^-^

Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed, read, and alerted this story, I love all of your support so much : D

Oh, and for those who have been patiently waiting for…"IT" (insert eyebrow movement here)…Your patience has paid off ;D Because we're there.

Song Inspiration:

-Once Upon a December-Deana Carter (From the movie Anastasia)

-The Times They Are a Changing - Bob Dylan

- Halo -Beyonce

- Love and Memories - O.A.R.

-Time is Running Out- Muse

and -Don't Matter by Akon

OH, and some of you were confused last chapter! Beyond and Biyokoi were NOT the same person! Beyond STOLE Biyokoi's identity. If you need a deeper explanation, just send me a message! : D

_OoOOOooOooOoOOOOOOooOOooOOOooOOoO_

_"The course of true love never did run smooth."_

_- A Midsummer's Night Dream, (Act I, Scene I)_

_OoooOOoooOOOOOOOoOOooOOooOoOooOOoOOoOOooOO_

**- Beyond's Warehouse, Gardens, 10:15 P.M.-**

Lawliet knew not what to call the feelings he felt his soul evoking; one could possibly claim it was relaxation, and the raven would not deny that one, for sure. But there was something else stirring in his stomach, his heart, his loins, as his lean body laid upon the grass next to the killer, whose eyes were glued to the sky above them.

There was…an almost nostalgic air wafting about…

Which, of course, sounded silly and preposterous in L's mind; where could he get that feeling from? But it was there…

It was as if this small garden held more….more stories than the flowers were willing to tell; secrets tucked away in their blooms, never to be heard of by visitors of the silent foliage. Lawliet could just feel it in his bones that something, or someone, or some people, had been in his place before. Doing what, he could not name, but there was a magical aura in the gardens; perhaps it had been romantic? Deathly? Hmm...It was hard to say at this point.

"Look…" Lawliet turned his attention away from his thoughts, and gazed up above him, and pointed towards the west, "Out there should be the constellation Cygnus, Beyond."

"Mmhmm, you can really see the sky well out here, much better than the city."

It was true; where as Kanto had the brightest of lights all across the area, the warehouse was completely dark, save for a few small lights inside that B had only turned on just so the duo could see their way outside. And the surrounding area? It too was dark as night, the small shops all closed up and unlit, the street lights extremely dim in the fishing and shipping city. The only lights were the Heavenly ones, twinkling and blinking like those of precious gems and eyes. A slight, early June breeze blew over the garden, and though L was not too chilled, he found himself scooting closer to the younger man anyway; the detective was also perceptive enough to catch the tiny smile that grew on Beyond's face.

"Up there…see, towards the North…" The raven pointed another bony appendage upwards, "The Corona Borealis."

"How do you know all of this, Lawli?" The killer questioned softly, his blood-eyes turning towards the older man, a glimmer of admiration shimmering in them.

"Oh? I've um…Just studied them all, I suppose; both in my free moments and while residing at Wammy's." Ebony eyes went from the young man beside them, to the midnight blue-hued sky above them, "Up there...Everything up there has always been a fascination of mine."

"Really? I don't know, the stuff up there…all the stars and all, it's nice, cool even, but…" B sighed, "I've just been more focused on life down here, not up there. Not anywhere else, really."

"…" Lawliet remained silent at the finishing comment from his companion, but settled his head closer to the other's; B's orbs chanced a glace at L, but the man himself remained silent, letting his joy shine internally, not disturbing the silence externally.

But it was not as if there was nothing to say, for there was so much to say.

And…

So little time to say it in….

"…Do the stars look like this in England, Lawli?"

"Hm? Why ask that, you used to live there, and-"

"'**Used** to' being the appropriate term, Lawliet. Do you know how long it has been since I was there?" The killer sighed, turning his head slightly from the detective, "…Sometimes…I sort of miss that place. NOT Wammy's, just...England. Winchester. It was my home for so long and…and…"

L let out a small breath of shock, and subconsciously, his bony hand came to caress the locks of the so-called "deranged" man, who just let out a gasp of awe, returning his head to the position it had been in just mere moments before; for L was not one for initiating such intimate contact unless he was absolutely sure he was either safe, or he was sure of his actions mentally.

"…Home is home," L replied, "Whether you are alone there or otherwise."

"…I'd beg to disagree."

"Oh?"

"In those books…those stupid tales…They always said that to have a home, you needed…you needed love…And…well…"

"Then we both have not found a home yet, Beyond." L replied dully, with just a tinge of hurt and eerie sadness trickling his tone. It caused Beyond to give the other a strong stare of wonder, but seconds later, the younger of the duo understood.

"Watari loves you, but…"

"…I'd rather not speak of it." Lawliet cut off the conversation with that blunt statement, and turned on his side, away from the other; perhaps coming out here, to such a reclusive (and even romantic) setting was a bad idea, for those types of incidents were able to charm Lawliet into a, perhaps false, sense of security, and the raven would reveal what his heart longed to conceal.

"…He never showed his love-"

"There is a difference between just loving someone, and loving someone **and** showing said love. Now, I shall not speak further of it, and-!!"

But Lawliet cut himself off…

When he felt two strong arms encircle his body, and when a head pressed itself against his back, ebony tresses tickling the nape of his neck.

"…Shh…" Beyond whispered as his grip on L tightened further, pulling the raven against his chest, "It's alright...I don't want you to get upset while we're out here. It's too nice of a night for that. We should make it last, L..."

"Yes…" Lawliet's eyes became half-lidded as his body became used to the warmth of the copy's body against his own; the comforting embrace, the sweet, blissful warmth…Was this how the embrace of two people who truly cared for one another was supposed to feel? Two people who…

…Loved each other?

Damn that "L" word, dammit…Lawliet was fearful to even venture there…Oh, he knew he loved Beyond Birthday, why deny it any longer?

But saying it to Beyond Birthday, B, was another matter all together.

Oh, yes, it was not as easy as those romance novels and movies made it out to be, truly…

"…L?"

"…Hmm?"

"You were staring at me…" B trailed off.

"…Eh…" L realized, to his utter horror, his head had moved slightly so his eyes aligned with Beyond's face and eyes, but unknowing to the raven himself. It must have occurred while his thoughts had been wandering over, what else, love. "I…"

B just smirked at the blushing human, who shrugged himself out of the killer's embrace, and situated himself on his back once more, trying to not let his eyes roam beyond a certain point in the night sky. But though that was all well and good, it did nothing to dam up the internal waves of nerves wafting about and the mental wars taking place in L's head,

_Dammit, L Lawliet what is with you? What happened to the tough, strong male you used to be…? Can you not even man up slightly, just enough to admit…admit…At least make a move…! Do SOMETHING…?Anything…!? You love this man; now do something about it…! You're a genius; it cannot be too hard to figure out…!!_

L swiftly, so fast he hoped BB would not catch him, snuck a look at his companion, who was blankly staring above at the sky, as Cygnus and Vega shown brightly in the Heavens, and Lawliet could tell his copy was not only disappointed, but frustrated. Every time the two seemed to be getting closer, some instance pushed them back again, farther apart. And L blamed himself, blamed himself for his own wariness, his own cautious traits, his being afraid to step up to the plate, and make a move. For though Lawliet had been responding quite well, had he ever made a move? Initiated a sequence of romance? A kiss? A hug? Perhaps once or twice, but once or twice was not enough in this case.

_You are just going to push him away at this rate, Lawliet, you better do something…do you __**want**__ to lose him again, after all this time…?_

"…No."

"…What, L? Did you say-" B had heard the lone word from the other, but before he could finish his statement, he silenced himself.

…For Lawliet had moved his body, and the raven eventually settled it on top of Beyond Birthday…

B kept his eyes glued to the night sky, but his blood-red, but not blood-shot, orbs had widened so much, they were synonymous to the detective's width and that of a full moon's as well. All the while, Beyond's mind was exploding with shock, but Lawliet only just gave a small, wistful smile, his eyes partially lidded, that grin almost holding a cocky aura.

…_OH GOD, OH GOD, OH MY GOD, He's on TOP of ME, ON. TOP. OF. ME. OF HIS OWN WILL…?! HOLY…Breathe, Beyond, breathe, don't do anything stupid…Oh, God, he's so WARM…SO. FUCKING. WARM…Is this really happening…? Oh, God, it IS, I can feel him…HOLY MOTHER OF GOD L, stop moving…! You're making me-Ahh…_

L had just made himself a tad more comfortable upon the other's body, his arms coming to twine around B's gangly body, and internally, the killer 'meeped'.

"…Beyond?"

"…Y-Yes?" _Since WHEN did my VOICE crack…?!_

"If I may, may I say something?" The raven's chin rested across Beyond's chest, on one of his clothed pectorals.

"S-Sure...It's a f-free country…"

"…" Lawliet lifted his head to have his gaze connect cleanly, without obtrusions, with Beyond's; ruby eyes softened from the previous shock they had not foreseen, and pale, yet red, lips of the copy parted just a tad, of their own will, and B's voice spoke up in a soft, sweet, melody, breaking the moment of silence that had settled between the duo,

"L…? What is it?"

"…Thank you…"

"For what?"

Lawliet just smiled a larger grin, replying with, "I am sure you already know."

And before BB could even comprehend an answer in his brain, L's lips collided with his own, the younger man instantly letting out a soft groan as the detective began to slowly taste him, but not eagerly and rashly devour him. It was gentle, sweet, like the sugar Lawliet tasted of; it was testing the waters for L, he was testing to see how far he could really go, how much courage he had to actually kiss the other, how much strength he had to be a lover.

B hummed contently as they deepened their connection of lips, but the killer would not, oh, no, he would **not **be dominated by L in any fashion whatsoever; so, with a quick maneuver, Beyond lightly nipped Lawliet's bottom lip, causing the other to gasp with parted lips, lips just parted enough for the copy to plunge his tongue into the original one's mouth, the older one gasping even more as Beyond easily took control; for was it not obvious that L Lawliet would forever be the submissive one between the two?

"Hnn…" L unleashed a noise that was foreign to his ears; it was as if his throat and mind had conjured it up without his knowledge. But it came to be when BB had fisted a hand in L's hair, lightly tugging, but also massaging the scalp in a luxurious and sensual manner.

With a growl with mild feral essence, B nipped his companion's lower lip again, the gave those clouds of pink cotton one last lick before breaking away, grinning like a maniac, and was in silent awe at the sight before him.

The normalcy of L Lawliet was no more; what was once a snow-white face was now a flushed red painting of passion, showing arousal, lust, and romantic feelings all in one. Ebony eyes were glazed over, dilated with desire, and were gazing at Beyond, but not truly, for it was as if the detective was staring off into space, his mind millions of miles away. Raven locks were a tad more tousled than usual, while the genius's brow was lightly covered with some sweat beads.

It was not just beautiful, it was ethereal.

Beyond slowly sat up, forcing the man on top of him to scoot backwards and sit up too, and L did so until he was straddling the killer's hips. B's forehead came into contact with L's own a moment later, a dazed smile on the wielder of the Eyes' face, and he spoke peacefully, daring to break the serenity in the still-night air.

"…I think you're ready…w-we're ready…"

All Lawliet did was just nod; he knew what Beyond meant.

They both knew what the copy meant…

OoOoOoOoOOOOOOOoOOOOOOOoOooOOOo

The next group of moments passed by in a blur to the detective; mere seconds after Beyond had spoken that lone statement, he had jumped up, grabbing L's hand, and dragging him back inside, running through the dank halls of the warehouse, nearly tripping a few times. It took BB a few moments, but he found his way back to Lawliet's room, and when the detective questioned the man why it had taken him so long to return to a room he had inhabited constantly over the past few days, the killer just replied with "I'm distracted", and L could discern that was the truth; the slight bulge in B's jeans gave it away.

Now L could only comprehend thoughts of how he was on his knees on top of his mattress, B likewise, facing the elder raven, leaving soft, tentative kisses on L's lips, going slow, not rushing in the least.

_Take it one step at a time…don't scare him off…let __**him**__ say 'when'…_

Cautious hands hooked themselves onto Lawliet's waist, pulling him closer; B placed a chaste kiss on the elder's forehead, causing L to give off a slight shiver, and the copy could not help but grin at the reaction.

"Look at how far you've come…" The jam-lover brushed midnight bangs back from the detective's forehead, causing L to glance upwards toward the other, his eyes glossy with happiness, his smile dazed with joy. Lawliet's hands were situated flat against Beyond's chest, but slowly, the older man wrapped his arms and hands around B's neck, now as close to the red-eyed one as he could possibly be.

"Hehe…Come here…" B's voice spoke, but went immediately silent as he kissed the older one once more, but with a more fiery passion, not as much caution as before. L complied, unsurprisingly, trying to kiss back just as heatedly, but Beyond's dominating nature was hard to beat, hard to conquer; though, Lawliet was far from argumentative at the time.

Tongues waged a hot war, the wet muscles coming in contact all too frequently; when Beyond did complicated, but all too arousing, moves with his own tongue against Lawliet's own, licking, twisting them together, the detective let out a raging moan, his back arching against the killer's subconsciously. The raven continued to mewl in pleasure when B's hands slithered like a snake up the white, three-quarter length shirt, coming to massage, rub tenderly, the pale, silk skin they found there. Though, not every patch of skin was smooth; scars littered Lawliet's chest and sides, and when his fingers connected with them, Beyond had haunting flashbacks of all he did to Lawliet over the week, and tears nearly sprung up in his eyes. The memories continued to kill the man slowly, but surely; he did not know when they would stop their never-ending torture, if they ever would, but B could only wish that they would. And that dream, oh! How that nightmare...the one from a few nights ago…right after his proclamation…though it had had a happy ending…the beginning…-No, he would not go there, not now.

So that was why BB closed his eyes, fearing a tear would leak out, and the raven, who continued to kiss, letting out soft breaths in between smacking lips, would spot it.

And that was also why Beyond let out a animalistic growl, and with strength, partially gentle, partially rough, he pushed Lawliet onto his back, back onto the mattress, the raven only replying with an "Oof!", but he eagerly sought the copy's supple, delectable lips once more, in a hungrily fashion so uncommon to L, Beyond became more aroused, and a grinding of his hips made that message clear in Lawliet's eyes.

_Make up for all of that, Beyond…Show you love him, show you love him, SHOW you LOVE him…_

"S-Sit up, Lawli…" B panted, and pulled L up rapidly (the raven was moving too slow for his taste), and the younger one tore off the other's shirt from his torso, flinging it haphazardly to the side.

"B-Beyond-OH!"

B wasted no time whatsoever; every moment with L was precious, for he knew, deep down, he was unsure how long all of this was to last. With instincts taking the wheel, the killer's lips latched themselves onto the raven's neck, sucking his pulse, lightly grazing his teeth over the succulent skin, and the young protégé let out sounds of euphoria at the taste and scent of his soon-to-be lover; sugar, sweat, musk, and the hint of flowers cascaded and wafted about L's skin, and B was losing even more self-control, the obvious sign was a groan of passion that ended with Beyond's lips trailing down the World's Greatest Detective's neck, with one pale hand situated on Lawliet's back, the other caressing the raven's front, arms, and ghosting over his nipples.

Sweet lips usually covered in blood continued to kiss any inch of skin they could conquer and cover, including pert nipples, and Lawliet, while letting out puffs of hot, panting air, threw his head back with a lusty groan, one appendage fisted in B's locks, the other gripping the flimsy sheet on the mattress. The passionate, worship-like kissing was driving the older man wild, and when Beyond would gaze up at the other in such a heated way, it did nothing to aid the state L was finding himself in.

After diving his skillful tongue into the detective's navel, B sprung his head forward, his mouth connecting with Lawliet's left ear; after placing a tiny kiss, and giving a puff of air onto it, the killer whispered,

"I want you so badly, L…"

"Hah…I-I know…" The genius choked out, panting softly, trying to keep his eyes focused on B's ruby orbs, but was finding it extremely difficult; and when B reached out a finger to caress Lawliet's scarlet face, the older one shivered with nerves, but slowly reached a hand out to place it over Beyond's, finding the action somewhat cooling in the middle of the heat wave.

"L…" Beyond lifted the hand L was covering with his own, and grabbed the raven's chin, bringing their faces as close as they could be, noses touching, "Do you want me?"

And the answer L would give would change his life forever…

"Yes…"

"…'Thought so." The copy's smile grew even more so, and that lone word was Beyond's cue to strip himself of his soft, black shirt, throwing it without a care to join L's own fabric; the killer caught the older male biting his lip while ebony orbs were locked onto the now visible torso of Beyond Birthday, "You like it, L?"

"Ah…" The red wash on the man's face darkened even more, but before he could complete a sentence or phrase, Beyond had returned to a closer position in front of him, and used his stealthy hands to situate Lawliet on his rear, with legs spread out. Normally, L would have objected (loudly, if one may add), but in this state, all was good, all was ecstasy; it felt wonderful to have B's hands move his legs out in a forward position, but it felt AMAZING when a hand belonging to the "maniac" came to rub the front of the insomniac's jeans, his groin, and instantly, L moaned, his knuckles, mimicking a snowman's hue even more so.

The jeans were tugged off with NASCAR-like speed, Beyond's as well, and in his boxers, the murderer knelt on the floor, in front of the other male, and, with careful, gentle, hands, B gripped L's left leg, bringing it closer to his face, and planted soothing kisses down the long, lean appendage. Lawliet gave out soft whimpers as Beyond praised his body with kisses, lips trailing over the front and back of the raven's leg; the younger one found a very erogenous zone under L's kneecap, for the older one's hips slightly bucked. Even more sensitive spots were awakened with such fires, it was amazing.

But what made L scream out in passion, call the killer's name, was when a wet, velvety tongue came out to lick the sole of Lawliet's left foot, BB's hand caressing the worn and tired ankle while his tongue massaged the sensitive skin.

"Hah…F-Foot fetish, B-Beyond?"

B hummed, and stated, "Of course. My wonderful Lawli has one, yes? So why shouldn't I? You forget, I've been watching you for a long while. Mmm, L, maybe you can suck my toes next time?"

"I-" Lawliet did not finish, instead letting out a cry; Beyond's mouth had trailed to his fives toes, licking them, but then beginning to suck on them, his clouds of pink latching onto each toe, sending L into a blissful state, the raven tossing his head back and a tad to the side, a dreamy expression on his face. Of and on, the insomniac would give a slight, quiet moan, but they grew louder when B began to hum around individual toes while he sucked and once and a while, the man would nip the tiny, little body parts.

"Uhh...T-Talented mouth…" L managed to croak out, and B just chuckled,

"Of course, of course...It must be talented; I need it to be…Just for you."

The right foot received the same ministrations next, Beyond taking his time with each toe, first lightly sucking, in a teasing manner, but then speeding up, while his hand caressed Lawliet's leg, massaging the worn muscles, the still-healing bruises from torture that took place not-so-long ago.

It was not until B removed himself off the floor and crawled back onto the mattress did Lawliet awaken a little from the hazy ecstasy the ministrations on his feet had put him in. Ebony gems were wide, and the copy could detect a hint of apprehension as he lightly pushed the detective backwards, until the older man was lying fully flat on his back.

"Shh…It's going to be okay this time…" Beyond hovered over the other, a hand coming to caress L's face, "I promise, I'm not going to hurt you…But you have to trust me…" B knew his tone was pleading, but he did not care; if Lawliet could not trust him now, what hope was there?

But L did trust him, for the raven gave a slight nod, stating in a hushed whisper, "I do…I guess…I just…the memories…and…" It was hard to form actual cognitive sentences with a mostly nude Beyond Birthday hovering over him, himself in the same state of dress, but B caught the message clearly.

"I know…But hey, we can make new ones, right?"

"…Yes."

Beyond leaned his head down, kissing pallid, but wet and eager lips, licking them like how he would lick up strawberry jam; but Lawliet definitely tasted better than strawberry jam, with his own sweet, yet fairly dark taste. Had he always tasted like this? Like sugar, but with a hint of mystery? Darkness? Or had being in his dammed building made that type of taste come to exist?

Either way, it did not matter, for Lawliet's arms came to wrap around his neck once more, and the copy could feel his L smile as they kissed, just a tiny, minute smile, but the killer felt it, and inside, he screamed to the Heavens, thanking them, while bare chests touched one another, elevating the arousing pleasure and divine wanting.

A lanky hand belonging to L, surprisingly, broke away from his hold on B to gracefully dance down the young nineteen-year old's side, to his thin waist. Once at its destination, the appendage slid to the jam-lover's, what else, red boxers, and when the hand began to slide the clothing down, B gasped, and pulled the detective's hand away, and took the initiative, pulling his clothing off with his own hands, flinging the pair of underwear aside.

Instantly, obsidian eyes went as wide as dinner plates, staring at the member the killer had revealed.

"…W-Was it always that large?" L prodded in a hushed tone, Beyond only replying with a laugh.

"Yes. Please, have you seen yours?"

"…" The detective became mute, but his face was a bright cherry shade; even more so when B placed a sweet kiss on a pointed, beak-like nose, and let a hand trail to the raven's black boxers, pulling them slowly down. Once past the waist, B lifted Lawliet's lean legs, dragging the clothing off of the man, and throwing them away, out of sight.

"Mmm…Has anyone told you how beautiful you are, Lawli-chan?"

"…N-No….Ahhh!" Beyond Birthday reached out a hand to touch the genius' alert body part, while blood-stained eyes shone seductively, staring, and boring, into L's own.

"Such a pretty voice too, L…I'm sorry I didn't appreciate it earlier…"

"I-It's alright …" L groaned out as B's hand gripped his erection tighter, and began to pump it; pupils of shining black eyes dilating in pleasure, "O-Oh, Beyond…G-God…"

"Shh, don't get too excited…Don't want you to come before we're done, right?" Beyond softly laughed as he moved his head into the crook of the raven's neck, leaving a few kisses on the shining-with-sweat skin, eventually coming to tenderly suck on the pallid, pasty neck; tender turned to rough ravishing quickly, making L moan in delight as Beyond left a love-mark on his neck once he was completed, licking the tender spot.

"Wait here, alright?" B spoke hurriedly, jumping up off the mattress with break-neck speed, running out of the room. Lawliet missed the warmth the other provided immediately, hoping whatever the copy had to do would take merely a few moments.

And, to Lawliet's hoping, it did; Beyond returned smiling, holding a medium-sized tube of lube in his hands.

"I, uh…It just took me a moment to get this…I promised not to hurt you, remember?" The young protégé spoke happily, but there was a red wave of shame blossoming on his cheeks. The murderer and kidnapper remembered how he had taken L violently, how he had…raped him…

"…Beyond?" L noticed a change in demeanor in the other, causing him to call the young man's name.

The killer was staring at the floor, his mouth slightly parted while a sad grimace grew on his face. Swallowing, B shook his head, and took his place on the mattress once more; garnet orbs stared into L's own, and after taking a deep breath, B spoke,

"I have so much to do to…to make it all seem like what is in the past, is really in the past…That what happened before is just…gone. Done. Never going to happen again."

"…" The sweets-devourer remained quiet, but scooted his body closer to Beyond's; after thinking for a moment for the best words to say, the World's Greatest Detective spoke,

"Then, Beyond, there is no time like the present. Because, I do not know about you, but…L Lawliet is ready to move on…"

B blinked, his frown radiating and growing into a smile, "L…You really want me...**You** really want **me**…I…" The man trailed off, due to shock, and because he was unsure of what to say.

"I do, Beyond. And I am ready to completely move on. It is like you said; it is time to create new memories. Put…Put this all behind us…" Lawliet gestured around them with his hand, "I just want you to be with me…And besides, one man said…the path towards love was never easy or smooth…"

"…I-I love you…Lawliet…" B affirmed after a moment of the duo staring at one another, and the younger of the two came to push L back in the spot he had originally resided in: on his back against the mattress. Though, this time, Beyond straddled the enigmatic man's hips.

"I…" _Say it…! Now's your chance…! _"I know…"

_Dammit…_

He still could not say those words that he longed to whisper…

But it did not seem to bother Beyond, who just grinned like a fool as he came to kiss the flushed and blushed male while unscrewing the cap upon the tube of lube.

_Take your time, love…I won't force you to say those words…I can't…_

After coating three of his fingers with the sticky substance, B spoke up, breaking the hushed silence that had fallen between them, "This is going to be uncomfortable at first…j-just try to relax, okay? I'll go slowly, I promise."

Lawliet nodded, and let out a whimper when B slid a probing digit into his entrance; it was fairly uncomfortable, but L did welcome the feeling of preparation in his body, the slicking of lube, the stretching of muscles.

"Shh, easy, Tenshi…"

"A-Angel? Japanese? Since when did you speak-"

"Hey, a man has to eat and drink and find a place to use the bathroom when he's searching for his man, right?" B chuckled, hoping L was distracted enough to not feel the second finger slide into him; but Lawliet let out a groan while Beyond Birthday prepared him in a scissor-like motion.

"Don't worry, it's going to get better, Lawliet…"

The man only nodded, his face still twisted in mild irritation and uncomfortable feelings. But not a moment later did those questing fingers brush against a spot inside L, and the detective moaned lavishly, bucking his hips to a degree, "Oh, BEYOND, right there…"

A toothy and cocky grin came onto the captor's face, "Found it; knew I would find it again, hehehe…" A third finger came into the raven's body for preparing, and now each appendage was brushing over L's prostate, making the man pant with arousing breaths of air, and groan in a lusty manner that made Beyond internally squirm in anticipation for their full-on coupling.

"P-Please, MORE, oh, God, PLEASE, Beyond…" The older one was seeing white with each brush of the fingers, it felt Heavenly, and the pain was no more. But as quickly as the pain had dissipated, so did the pleasure; for B had removed his fingers, causing L to whimper pleadingly.

"And I thought I was an impatient bastard…" The copy laughed with a husky voice as he coated his member with the lube, all the while Lawliet watched with needy and hungry eyes; the detective mentally proclaimed he had never seen such an erotic sight before.

"Alright…You ready? I wished we had more elevation for your waist, but we'll be fine…I'll remember pillows for next time, hehe…" Nimble hands of a man whom had strangled many in his time came to grab L's legs, hiking them onto his shoulders. Lawliet took that as his cue to wrap the lean and feminine legs a tad more tighter around the man, while B's hands came to rest on either side of the detective's head.

L silently nodded in response to his Beyond's question; he could already feel the head of B's member at his entrance, and seconds later, it minutely began to slide into him.

"AH!" It did not hurt greatly, L had felt so much worse in the past week, but there was that still uncomfortable sting of foreignness that the raven's body had to get used to.

"Ohhh…" Beyond felt the heat and wetness of his lover's body immediately, and he groaned in a joyous manner, his eyes closing for a moment as sensations bombarded his most sensitive body part. "Oh, Lawli…S-So…wonderful…"

"Hnn…" B moved gently further in him, inserting himself in further, and L shivered at the killer's words and movement, his hands fisted into the sheet on the mattress, knuckles once more turning paler than normally.

Finally, after some excruciating moments, Beyond was fully sheathed, both men panting in rapture, Beyond having to bury his face in L's neck, after pulling the older man impossibly closer, for the nineteen-year old jam-addict was extremely excited, and eager to proceed, but the man knew he had to wait for Lawliet; he was the whole reason for doing this, he was that important, that vital. And if the detective was not ready, then there was no point, for it would just turn towards the direction of rape once more.

But, to BB's astonishment, it was L who made the next move; a slight twist of the detective's hips occurred, and B nearly screamed in pleasure and shock, but instead was able to tame his voice into a harmonic moan near the raven's ear.

"M-Move, Beyond…I-I'm ready…"

That was all B needed, and instantaneously, he thrusted out, and then in again, with a frenzied speed; Lawliet threw his head back, giving off the loudest cry yet, his arms moving with speed to encircle around B's back, his legs still hanging on the copy's shoulders.

They developed a rhythm all too well, the elder genius moving his hips in time with B's thrusting; calling out with each thrust, Beyond's husky voice, and Lawliet's song-esque, melodic tone, created a symphony of passion and desire, the likes and feelings neither man had experienced up until now.

"Hnn, L-Lawli…" It was all that Beyond Birthday had imagined it would be; sure, it was far from as romantic as a hotel room with a lit fireplace, or a small home in England, but there was something fantastical and magical about the entire event. With that in mind B picked up his speed, going fast as he could, and L did not discourage him in the least.

"O-OH, YES, Beyond! Faster, please, MORE!" Arching his back, L's mind was lost in a sea of pleasure, of ecstasy. The genius's mind could only focus on the increasing pleasure, the feeling of B's hardened pole in him, stretching him, loving him, making him his.

Beyond growled in compliance, pounding even harder into his lover; both men's eyes wide with bliss, their mouths open, letting out pants, some drool coming from dreamy smiles, and moans of eternal rapture and delight.

"G-God, L-Lawli…Hnnnn!"

"Ah…K-Keep going! Beyond!" Lawliet's hands came to caress the killer's chest, and played with his hardened nipples, twisting them fairly gently between a skillful finger and thumb, causing cries of joy; and, after a moment, Lawliet was able to reach forward and trail his tongue down B's chest, causing the man above him to shiver in joy. But the nineteen-year-old knew just what to do for a "payback"; he grabbed onto L's attentive member, squeezing it, smearing the leaking pre-cum all over as he began to pump his insomniac lover with great strength and speed. "OH, GOD, B!"

"L-Lawli…I-I love this…"

"S-Same…Hah…Hah…Feels good…Having you in me…Stretching me…you're so large in me-"

"Hnn! Lawli, such a dirty mouth you have…" Beyond smiled dazedly as he kept up the pace, both in his hips and his hand, his eyes locking with L's, "Oh, tell me MORE…"

"I feel you everywhere…Y-Your so big…Mmm…I want your lips on me-Ahhh!"

Before L could even finish his command, B's lips were on his body, on his neck more specifically, kissing him everywhere as he pounded and took his L as fast as he could, a tongue usually savoring the taste of jam coming out to tease the edges of the detective's lips, who whined in such a needy manner, it melted the copy's heart.

The pleasure was thought to not able to increase any further, but it did; mainly, when Beyond repeatedly hit Lawliet's pleasure center, that bundle of sweet nerves, over and over again, making the raven arch and scream in pure, drug-like wistful wonder. The feelings were becoming addicting, having B in him, having B take him, having B touch him…the feelings, the emotions, they were seeping past L's skin, L's defenses, and were making him want more, yearn for more.

Another hit of his prostate made L moan wantonly, and spread his legs even farther, causing B to dive deeper into the original man, the younger man letting out a scream of surprise. It was becoming all too much for the elder male, the inexperienced Lawliet, who had been such a recluse he rarely, if at all, took care of his needs on his own.

"B-Beyond! I…I'm…I feel…"

"YES! J-Just come for me, Lawli!"

"I-" Another scream, and with widening of ebony eyes, Lawliet saw white behind his eyes as his love juices sprayed forth, over both of them; not even one minute later did L feel B come inside of his with a cry, the killer having to bury his face in the raven's neck, to stifle the volume, but ultimately failed to lower his voice even one decible.

The duo collapsed onto one another, Beyond on top, both panting synonymously, their breathing the only sounds in the entire room, the entire warehouse.

Eventually, the younger male removed himself from his lover's body, slowly, with the feeling of never wanting the joining of the two of them to end, but sadly, it had to. The men only had so much energy, and really, did he want to wear L Lawliet out on their first together-event? No, of course not. And with that in mind, Beyond curled up on the bed, pulling Lawliet to his sweaty body.

"So, how was that?"

"Mmm…" L nuzzled into the other's neck, "…Wonderful…I've…never felt all of that before…"

B grinned, and began to pet his lover's hair, the locks near the nape of his neck especially, "Good…I loved it too…"

"W-Well, I didn't…I did not use those words specifically…" Though that was true, the blush that crept up L's neck, and turned his face an even darker shade of red, told the truth, and the action made Beyond chuckle,

"No, but you don't have to say everything for me to understand you, Lawliet. You should know that by now…"

"...Do you know everything, Beyond? About myself, I mean."

B snorted, "Of course not, but then again, you can be quite an open book sometimes. Like I knew I was right about you being a totally submissive person-in other words, a uke."

"E-EXCUSE ME?"

"Well, you WERE the one crying out 'Beyond, faster!' and moaning like-"

"Oh, shut up…" L interrupted with a pout, crossing his arms, and B just roared with laughter, ruffling his raven's locks.

"You're so adorable, how do you do that? It's unbelievable." He sighed, shaking his head, and after some silence, Beyond continued with, "Hey, L?"

"Hmm?"

"…I-I don't want to lose you after this…Not now…"

"…I know. I can say it is likewise now." Ebony eyes softened, and L shook his head, "This has been…such a changing experience."

"…You sense that it is going to end soon, too? I don't know, it's just…a feeling I've had tonight."

"Yes. I do not know how, or why, or when…but I have a feeling it is going to end soon. That I shall be going back…to them." There was no need to specify 'them'.

"…I-I don't want you to go…" Beyond found his voice cracking again, and the man had to bite his lip, "Why? Why do you have to go?"

"…Because it is destiny, Biyondi-"

"But Lawli-"

"Though…there is no reason…why…"

"…Why what?" B probed after his strange lover was silent for some moments.

"There is no reason why you cannot come with me."

Twinkling red orbs enlarged in surprise, "Are...Are you saying you...w-want me to go back with you? Back to all that? You…"

"I want you to accompany myself back to Kanto. Back to solving the Kira case. Beyond, there is no reason why we cannot be together, is there?"

"But, Lawli...You're…Justice. I'm not. Think of that, really."

L sighed, "I've been thinking about that. No one else has to know about this. Just myself, and Watari. And if we come in contact with police, we can always state another name for yourself, or just use your regular name, and state you are under my constant supervision, for fear of society's safety, or some nonsensical reason such as that. And I know you are not going to run about and kill maniacally, yes?"

"…Y-You'd do that for me? And of course I'm not going to do that L! I would never do that if I was in your care…" A sweet-as-honey smile came onto B's face, and L could not help but return the gesture with one of his own.

"Yes. Why wouldn't I do that for you? I…I want to be with you. Why wouldn't I want to be after all of this?"

Beyond tighten his hold on L, grinning like he had just won the lottery, "Then I'll take you back tomorrow, just me and you. We'll talk to Watari, get everything straightened out and…and we won't be separated." A chaste kiss was placed on Lawliet's forehead, "It will be how like I always dreamed it would be…"

_And I can protect you from Kira even better…We'll be together, like we should be…_

Lawliet hummed in agreement, his eyes already closed, his body tired from the love-making they had just done; it took just a matter of minutes for the insomniac, though he could not be called that at the time, to drift off into a tired slumber, Beyond joining him mere moments later…

Both dreaming of the future they planned to have…

OOoOoOOoOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooOOo

**Soichiro Yagami's Car- 8:08 A.M**

**Streets of Japan, Nearing Beyond's Warehouse**

OoOOOooOooOoOOOOOOooOOooOOOooOOoO

Borrowing his father's car had been the easier part of this morning's plans, Raito mentally confirmed, for trying to convince the elder Yagami and his Task Force Team that Raito could, once more, not attend the investigation session of the day had been extremely difficult, and had even erupted into a shouting match between the two male Yagamis. Eventually, when the young brunette had mentioned he had an idea of how he could possibly find L, but had to go alone to make sure it went off without a hitch, his father had complied; but, Aizawa had had to restrain the stressed-out Soichiro with a firm grip, and after sending a rough glare at the young college student, the Captain of the Task Force sent his son on his merry old way, just stating,

"Whatever you're planning to do, don't be stupid and get yourself killed, got it? Just find your information, or L, or whatever the hell you've been looking for, and still are, and get back to us, got it? I don't want to have to tell your mother you're in the hospital or in the morgue."

"…Understood, Sir. Thank you." With that bow, Raito left, and here he was now, driving along the busying streets of the city, the directions and map to the warehouse in one hand, the other tan hand gracefully steering the cars' wheel.

High above the vehicle, Ryuk floated in the sky, keeping a golden-black orb on his "Master" below, quietly chuckling to himself.

_That kid has more in store for him than he possibly realizes…Cocky little brat…_

But Ryuk had nothing left to say to the young Yagami, there was no time to, and, he recalled, he was not on Raito's side. Never had been, never would be.

So that was why Ryuk would not mention the black Mercedes that had been silently trailing the owner of his Death Note's vehicle; after all, there had to be a bunch of those in this human world, right?

OooOOOooOOOoOOooOOOOooOOOooO

The sun had been streaming into the warehouse's large room bright and early, and after placing a kiss on his still-slumbering lover, Beyond had gotten up to traverse to the kitchen, hopefully to find some still fresh coffee that the killer would be able to make. After sliding on his old jeans and black shirt, the young man slinked through the halls, trying to keep quiet on his search.

He succeeded, and in moments, Beyond had a pot roasting, he himself choosing to stay in the kitchen as it boiled and brewed; the man could not believe what was to come. He, Beyond Birthday, had been victorious in winning Lawliet's heart, his love, though the man had not stated those three little words yet. YET. But L would, B knew he would. It was only a matter of time. Things had finally gone right for the copy of the porcelain-skinned man; he had admitted his love, which had strengthened even further over time, and now Lawliet was returning those feelings. Now all that was left to do was to return L home, and wait for the raven to say, "Beyond, I love you."

Finally, the coffee was done, and the man happily poured it into two Styrofoam cups, on the verge of whistling due to his large amount of happiness; but then, just as Beyond was about to exit the kitchen, coffee in hand…a noise reached his ears…

Screeching of tires…Of a car…

_No…_

Dropping the cups, the brown, pasty liquid spilling everywhere, B bolted from the room, sprinting down the halls with the speed he used to use when he was running from the law.

_No, no, no, no, no, PLEASE, be there, please…_

"L!"

Bursting into his lover's room, Beyond was delighted to see Lawliet yawning, sitting up on the mattress, rubbing his temple,

"Beyond, what is it? HEY!"

With break-neck speed, B had jumped onto the mattress, clutching Lawliet tightly to him; the curious elder spoke up,

"B, you're scaring me. Is-"

"Shh…I heard a car."

"…" L had a feeling he knew what that meant; they had been found out. "W-Well, what did you normally do when someone got suspicious about this place?"

"Not much, really….People usually steer clear of this place; abandoned warehouses have that effect on-OH GOD!"

A gun shot had just rang out in the air, and L clutched himself tighter to B, "Beyond…I…That can't be Watari, he rarely uses a gun….And he probably would have knocked, or something, or I don't know, just BEYOND!"

B growled in his throat, his eyes taking on a dark shine, his aura becoming venomous. "Get dressed." He ordered his lover in a raspy tone, while pondering the situation.

Lawliet complied, silently dressing in all his clothing; all the while, B stared at the entrance to the room, knowing full well that L was correct: Whoever was here could NOT be Watari. That was confirmed after there were some moments of silence, for if it had been Wammy, the old man would have run around, calling out 'Ryuzaki', or some other name-slash-alias of L's.

"M-Maybe it was nothing?" L ventured his tone wary, and his ebony orbs glistened with fear when B shook his head as a reply.

"No, Lawli…That was far from nothing."

And B….was right.

But it was still up in the air if he was "Deathly" right…

OoOOOooOOOOOoOOOOOOOOoOOOOOooO

"Was shooting the chain lock on the door REALLY necessary, Raito? Couldn't you have broken in another way?" Ryuk probed as the brunette shoved open the door to the warehouse, and Raito just snorted in reply, tired of stupid questions from his Shinigami.

"Of course I had to do it! Besides, might as well let them know I'm here." The Yagami grimaced as he glanced at the doors of the warehouse, the blood and jam covered panels of metal making his stomach churn, "I think we're in the presence of a psychopath, Ryuk."

"Oh? Really? Well, I'm used to it, Raito…I've been in your presence how long?"

Sepia eyes shot the demon a glare of hatred, but Ryuk just laughed loudly, hovering next to the young man.

"Just shut up and let me do what I came here to do, Ryuk." Traversing the hallways was no joyous trip either; jam jars littered the hallway floors, and newspaper clippings, with L being the subject of them all, were hanging and taped everywhere. It was dark, despite the bright morning sun being high in the air. There were no windows down the hall, only in a few rooms Raito dared to venture in. Most of the rooms were bare, save some dirty clothing, but in one, there were chains and ropes; another held a dirty mattress, full jam jars, and a filthy black shirt. There was also a kitchen, where two coffee cups were splayed out on the floor, the liquid a puddle on the dirty tiles.

"Hmm…" The next room the man tried held boxes and boxes of paperwork, and after struggling with opening one, the Yagami found out the packages held paperwork dealing with Buichi and Betouix's flower shop. Scattered about in broken frames, with tiny, crystalline shards of glass sprayed over around them, were pictures, of…"Buichi…Betouix"…The couple was displayed in joyous positions, smiling, and in each other's arms, some with a setting of a house, some in other places, fancy vacation spots, and even some in front of the floral shop.

Raito glanced up, only to come face to face with a Crucifix of Jesus himself, the crown of thorns situated on the Lord's head; the Yagami snorted, and turned on his heels, "Let's go, Ryuk", slamming the door with a thud, and onto the next room.

…The Crucifix fell off the wall and plummeted to the floor mere seconds later…

OoOoooooooooooooooOOOOOOoOoOooOOOooOo

After calming Lawliet down with a few soft kisses to his forehead, Beyond smiled warmly, brushing L's hair between his fingers,

"Perhaps it **was **nothing…" There was no loud booming voice crying out, no loud footsteps…though the person that may be in the building might just be a quiet soul….But, No! Be optimistic, that was the key.

"Maybe…" L found his arms going around B's waist, pulling him tighter, "I was afraid someone was coming to hurt you, Beyond…"

"Heh, you and me both, Lawli-Pop…" Another kiss to L's forehead soothed both of the men to an indefinite, but large, degree. The detective sighed, laying his head on B's shoulder, the killer still facing the doorway to the room, like a guard dog.

"Mmm B…Do you think…One day…We could do what we did last night again?"

"Hmm? Of course, my Lawli…Whatever you wish." The copy rubbed the original's back, who buried his face in B's neck.

The duo remained silent for some time, which was fine to B's standards, for he was just silently listening for more voices, for an intruder, for any sign of a man or woman that was coming to take his L away from him…

And while L was not looking, Beyond reached a hand into his jeans pocket, and pulled out his favorite knife…a switch-blade…sharpened to an extreme point…

Just in case of course…

OoOoooooooooooooooOOOOOOoOoOooOOOooOo

Raito had his gun cocked, ready and loaded, as he had checked all of the first floor's rooms…except one…

There was an open doorway, with some sunlight streaming through; the brunette hypothesized there were open windows in the room, letting said sunlight in.

"…Wish me luck, Ryuk."

"Hehehe, you think he's in there?" Ryuk was silent for a moment, and then, with another laugh, said, "Yeah, good luck, kid, Hehehehehe…"

Raito did not know what was so funny, but he dared not ask as he ventured forward towards the doorway…

OoOoOooOoOOOoOOOOOoooOOOOooOoO

Beyond heard the voice; it was loud, debonair, soothing, probably belonging to that of a pretty boy; the grip on his knife tightened, for he would die trying to protect L, save L, and not have the raven stolen right out from under him after ALL. OF. THIS!

"B-Beyond…I thought I heard something…"

"Yeah…But I want you just to relax, got it? I'll handle everything."

"…B…I just wanted to say…that I-"

"Shush, you can tell me later, Lawli…We'll have time, I promise." B kissed the crown of Lawliet's head, having a hunch on what the man was going to say, but no, he would not hear it now. Not like this…Not when…he or L…could…could…

The footsteps picked up speed, and B closed his eyes, a silent prayer reverberating off his brain repeatedly…

_I don't care what happens to me…Just protect him…Just save him…_

OoOoooooooooooooooOOOOOOoOoOooOOOooOo

Raito had heard the voice, that voice that had haunted him for so long…

L's…

It had stated 'Beyond'…But the tone was not frightful, just wary…But also quite compassionate towards the man it spoke to.

Which set off a fire in the heart of Raito Yagami…A jealous, enraged fire...

_No…He…L would not talk to someone who might have hurt him like THAT…could he…?_

Dress shoes clacked against the metal flooring, and when he stood in the doorway, the brunette peered into the room, but entered it after a moment to get a better view…

But gasped at the sight of two men…nearly exact in appearance…hugging in an intimate manner on top of a dirty, old mattress…

The gasp made the one facing Raito open his eyes with fury, and sepia eyes found themselves staring into ruby-hued ones; the other one moved his head at the noise as well, and ebony eyes connected on Raito's figure, which had stopped still as a stone a few feet from the entrance to the room…

And the brunette felt as if he was staring into red pools belonging to Death himself…as Time seemed to freeze on its own…

_OoOOOooOOOOOOOOOOOOOoOOoO_

"_If I must die,  
I will encounter darkness as a bride,  
And hug it in mine arms."_

_- William Shakespeare, (1564-1616)_

_OoOoooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO_

A/N: I thought this end quote was quite fitting, since yes, next chapter, someone is to die! Also, the three "encountered" one another, so….XD

But, I hoped you all enjoyed this chapter, and yes, CLIFFHANGER! XD Sorry about that, but we've reached the ultimate climax of the story! We're almost towards the end, with four more chapters after this one.

Be prepared for tears, blood, and some last unexpected surprises. ;D

Thank you so much for reading, and I'll be updating this very, very soon! ^-^ This IS going to be the focus of updates until we reach the end together!

P.S. The kissing scene in the garden was inspired by a piece of artwork from a Japanese website! : D


	18. Hellfire

A/N: Everyone ready for that final battle? ^^

Because here it comes!

Haha, and thanks so much for the lovely reviews, favorites, and alerts from last time, I love you all! : D

Chapter Title comes from the song "Hellfire", from the Hunchback of Notre Dame movie (Disney). Never heard it before? You HAVE to hear it! And the lyrics at the beginning of the chapter are taken directly from the song.

Enjoy!

Also inspired by (Lots of sad songs xD):

- So Cold (Acoustic) - Breaking Benjamin

- Far Away- Nickleback

- Here Comes Goodbye- Rascal Flatts

- I'm Already There - Lonestar

-Not Meant to Be - Theory of a Deadman

This chapter is MUCH shorter than the previous ones, but it still is so important! Please enjoy!

_OoOoooooooooooooooOOOOOOoOoOooOOOooOo_

_"When shall we three meet again in thunder, lightning, or in rain?_

_When the hurly-burly's done,  
When the battle's lost and won."_

_- Macbeth, Act I, Scene I  
_

_OoOOOOoOoooooOOOOoOOooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooOO_

…_Beata Maria  
You know I am a righteous man  
Of my virtue I am justly proud…_

…_Beata Maria  
You know I'm so much purer than  
The common, vulgar, weak, licentious crowd…_

…_This burning  
Desire  
Is turning me to sin…_

Tension…Fear…Hatred…Power…

If one could describe the auras in the room, the feelings, the emotions…those four words alone would cover it all. Each one, devouring one another, only to bloom once more in such a rapid fashion; the air was alight with electricity of rage, void of compassion, save for Beyond.

His compassion for L Lawliet was the only stable element in his mind as he stared at the brown-haired intruder, whose strong hands gripped a gun, but, not surprisingly, in a shaking manner.

The fool was scared! Scared because of the demon he had come to face…The demon with red eyes.

"…R-Raito?" It was L who talked first, his voice cracking at the newcomer's appearance; the gun probably did not help either, the lithe body in Beyond's arms was on the verge of having a conniption, shaking like a leaf.

"…" The Yagami did not respond, only staring at the two situated on the mattress, his sepia eyes awash with, from what B could tell, hurt. Rage. Wrath. Despair. But there was only one target those eyes were focused on: B himself.

"…Raito Yagami?" Beyond remembered that name, stating it aloud, tasting it on his lips; and it was a disgusting taste. The name sounded preppy, preposterous; with a name like "Light", there had to be a large ego to match the name.

But Beyond knew it was the real name, his Eyes told him so. But his eyes told him something more…

_Raito Yagami……_

_But wait…Where…_

_Where is the lifespan…?_

In his red vision, which was how Beyond always saw the world, there was the name of the intruder, the supposed Kira suspect (according to Lawliet), but…there was no life-span. No numbers, no seconds, nothing.

It was abnormal…Almost…

Supernatural…

_"You think Kira is some form of a…supernatural killer, L?"_

_"Yes, I do. Still human, though, but…his tools…to kill like he does…Beyond, would you not call that supernatural? Almost non-human?"_

_"…Yes."_

The conversation that had taken place between copy and original rang out in Beyond Birthday's mind; it had taken place just under three days ago.

_And he said that…this bastard was…a suspect…And Lawliet's instincts are always on-spot…rarely wrong…_

…_YOU are Kira…!!_

…_YOU…YOU WANT TO TAKE HIM FROM ME…!!_

…_NEVER…_

_NEVER…NEVER…NEVER…!!_

The rage boiled inside Beyond like a witch's brew…

Though, he was not one-hundred percent sure that his man, this good-looking, and from what L stated, genius, was the mass-murderer Kira, the odds were too great to say that he was not.

And anyway…Even if he was not…He planned to take away L; that much was certain…

But there was a way to make sure this man WAS Kira, and to make sure L Lawliet stayed with his lover:

Put up a damn good fight.

OoOOoOOoOOOOOOOOoooOoo

_T-Those eyes…_

_No… But they're…How are they……B-Bright red…?_

Raito shivered internally and externally as a pair of garnet orbs glared at his body, piercing right through him; something about them was demonic, evil, pure satanical…but also possessive. Subtly, the Yagami's eyes caught the grip that the strange man had on L tighten, while the raven glanced between the both of them, being the only one to speak, with,

"Raito!? W-What are you doing here…"

The college student wanted to speak, wanted to unleash all the truths, but his mouth had frozen shut.

Most likely due to not only seeing L in the arms of his supposed kidnapper (who else would that red-eyed demon be, but Beyond?), but Beyond and L had the exact same appearance, save their eyes and shirts. And those eyes…those eyes that seemed to have actual blood in their irises…they froze Raito on the spot…

But as Ratio stared back at the one holding his L, a thought came to mind…

_Red eyes…I've seen eyes similar to those…somewhere…AH…_

…_M-Misa's…When she…_

Yes…

Though Misa's eyes were always blue, there were flashes, rare flashes…when they glowed a bright, violent ruby…

When she used the Shinigami Eyes to help Kira with his bidding…

It was true that Misa saw through those Eyes constantly, and her orbs did remain their normal shade of blue, but once and a while, for just a few seconds, they could flash red and at the most random moments, or so Ryuk explained. And the young model could command them to change color with her will, as they had when the girl had invited herself over to Raito's house to announce that she was indeed the Second Kira.

And now…the man crouching in front of Raito had eyes of the exact same shade, the brunette could just tell…

And that thought alone scared him to the point where he could neither speak, nor move…

_No, think rational, Raito…just because they are red does not automatically mean they are Shinigami Eyes…They could just be contacts-_

"Kehehehehe…This should be interesting…" _Ryuk. Damn you_. Kira heard the creature laughing, high above him, sitting on a rafter in the ceiling, perching like a gargoyle.

_Damn Shinigami, won't even help me, all he does is…laugh…_

…_O-Oh no…_

_He…He knows something…He…_

_He always laughs when…when…_

_S-Someone is going to get hurt..._

_Or...  
_

_S-Someone is to die…_

But Raito was realizing his fate all too late…

For just then…Beyond spoke…

"Kira."

OooOOOOooooOOOOOOOOo

"B-Beyond?"

The detective did not like that gleam in his lover's eyes, and held on tighter; a chilling air breezed into the room, the chilling air…of Death.

"P-Please, you two, can we just talk about this-"

"KIRA!" BB let out a piercing scream, making sepia eyes widen to epic proportions; something was horribly wrong, that was what Raito's brain screamed out:

_W-What…? W-Why is he screaming that…?! Unless…_

_He does have the Eyes…And…Oh, God, if he does, he wouldn't be able to see my…_

…_Lifespan…_

_SHOOT HIM NOW…!!_

But Raito could not lift the gun; what was holding him back? His fear? NO! That…No, perhaps it **was **his fear…

But…Truly…It was really L holding him back…

For the way L was speaking to Beyond Birthday…The way L was clutching to his supposed kidnapper, possibly rapist…

It all shown signs of compassion…desire…

Love…

And it had frozen Raito to the core.

"L-L…" It was the one word Raito was able to choke out, but it would not be his last…

Though…

It would be the last **calm **word he was to speak…

…For not a second later did he utter the alias of the man, did Beyond Birthday lunge with the speed of a cheetah, after pushing L off with rough force, the raven nearly tumbling off the bed, thankfully grabbing onto the edge of the mattress just in time.

"KIRA!! DIE!"

"BEYOND, don't DO THIS!"

Beyond held a switchblade in his right hand as he sprinted towards Raito, and the sight of the pointed weapon snapped Raito out of his depressed reverie long enough to strengthen his grip on the Browning pistol…But it was too late to strengthen that hold to where he could shoot…

For though Raito aimed the gun at Beyond Birthday, it was too late…

B tackled the man to the ground, and instantly, the gun fell out of his hand, skittering across the metal flooring…

…Raito had just been too slow…

The sight of seeing the man he loved, the man he wanted to own…In the arms of another…

Had frozen the young man so much…he turned slow…sluggish…unable to move…

Unable to continue fighting…After all the searching, all the looking…how could he move on when he came across **that** sort of scene…?

But now that he was awakened by Beyond being on top of him, his life now coming to be officially on the line, the young Yagami tried to fight-

...

"AHHH!"

But the knife that stabbed into his right side stopped that from happening, and instead, a scream echoed out in the warehouse.

"TELL HIM!" B screamed, grabbing Raito's auburn locks, and shoving his head around, while twisting the knife that was plunged deep into the God of the New World's body, making more blood seep forward.

"Ahh…" The Yagami could barely choke out the words to question the killer, the excruciating pain burning his body and soul was all too much, so Beyond Birthday took the initiative and stated what he wanted from him, for him:

"TELL HIM YOU'RE KIRA!"

"AHH!" B had taken the knife out of the body of the chocolate-locked man, only to plunge it into his abdomen, another scream being unleashed.

"BEYOND! Stop this, PLEASE!" Lawliet's eyes were frightened, that being the way to state it mildly, the ebony orbs misty with tears; seeing one being stabbed over and over was a traumatizing sight to behold. "T-THIS is NOT NECESSARY-"

"WRONG, L!" B spat vehemently, "This man IS KIRA!"

Raito felt his strength deplete further and further by the second, blood seeping everywhere around his body; his legs had turned to gelatin, the ability to feel his toes was already dying, washing away; the same could be said about his arms.

"WELL?!" Beyond screamed in the brunette's ear, "TELL HIM NOW! TELL HIM THE TRUTH!"

"Y-You psycho bastard," Raito screamed in a hurried rush, taking in a gigantic breath of air so he could speak, "I have no idea what you're talking-AHH! STOP, PLEASE!" The knife had found its way into Raito's other side, and by this time, the college student's breathing was now even more labored, the blade cutting right into arteries that were seeping away life-fluid belonging to Kira.

"….I SAID, tell L that you ARE the Kira who has been seeking to kill him!" B screamed, tears now coming to **his **eyes, "How DARE you try to take away my Lawli from me, HOW DARE YOU! Just for your own selfish GAMES!"

"B-Beyond…" L was crying full tears by this time, "P-Please, that's enough…" The raven knew Raito's fate as well; no one could survive that amount of stabbing, "Please…H-He doesn't need to say that, he may not even be-"

"…L…" Raito breathed out the lone letter, interrupting Lawliet's nonsensical blabber, and all pairs of eyes turned on the brunette.

_"My Lawli"…So…T-They do love each other…_

_T-They are together…_

…_I was too late…_

…_W-Was Ryuk right…He told me time and time again…_

_"You won't be able to do it…" "You can't have him AND your Kingdom…"_

…_The Shinigami was right…_

…_A-And now, I will-AHH!_

"AHH!" Beyond had drawn the knife out of the brunette's side, and slashed it across a perfect cheek and cheek bone, and then again, onto the other side of the man's face.

"TELL HIM! State what you want to say!" A bloody hand tightened its hold in brown tresses, making the young man face L, who was curled up on the bed, a bony appendage clasped over pallid lips.

"…L…I-I am…I am…K-Kira…"

_M-Might as well tell the truth…_

_Y-You are about to die anyway…_

_T-There is no way out of this…I just know it…_

The red-eyed copy's hand froze, it was just about to plunge the knife into Raito's back, but the Yagami's words had stopped him.

…Though…L's next statement was to continue the ministrations…

"…I-I was right…"

Ebony gems shined with tears, but also wonder; he had been right…he had been right about the case, the suspect…About Kira…

Sadly, though…the eldest in the room wished he had not found out this way…

Raito had heard that lone sentence, those three words, and he felt his heart break; L was only concerned with the case, even now…Or that was at least how it came off in sepia eyes…

"…Die." B rasped, shoving the knife into Raito's back as chocolate and midnight eyes had connected for just one second, breaking the stare when the brunette released a howl of torturous pain, his hand reaching out towards the detective, who let out his own scream, and shout of,

"B! PLEASE! It's done, please; you don't have to do anymore! W-We can h-have him arrested, or put away in an insti-instituion, or something, or, or-" Lawliet knew it was futile to even make suggestions at this point, for Raito...Raito's fate WAS sealed, but his mouth, his mind, shouted them out anyways.

"NOT GOOD ENOUGH, L!" Beyond turned to face his lover, "He wanted you DEAD. So HE is going to SUFFER! I don't give a DAMN about him, JUST YOU!"

"B-But…Please, I'm begging you…T-This is t-too much-" The sight of it all was indeed too much...as it would be for any human with a heart and soul...

"NO...It's just enough…" The last statement was ground out, a growl, a furious growl, and Raito felt the knife still in his back, but dragged down, down towards his rear, the skin and clothes being sliced with expert speed, as fabric and floor were stained with ruby-red blood.

All the while, hazy coffee-colored eyes were glued to L's shaking frame, Raito's mind thinking over and over again,

_He does care…He does care…He wouldn't have asked B to stop if he didn't…He wouldn't have stated other options…_

_L…I'm sorry for doubting you, even if was for just a second…_

_I guess it was just not meant to be…_

_I love you…_

"I-I love you, L…"

Both Beyond and Lawliet let out simultaneous gasps, while Raito only smiled dazedly at the perched, pasty raven, whose face was turning a light pink shade due to the streaming rives of sorrow flowing from his dark eyes.

"…W-Well…H-He doesn't love you, YOU MONSTER!"

STAB…

STAB…

STAB…

Beyond's rage had fully been unleashed with those three words, and no patch of skin, no body part, was spared that wrath. Raito's legs, Raito's arms, Raito's chest, even his face and hair: All cut, all stabbed, while all the while L watched in horror, unabashed horror.

He wanted to jump up, scream at his blood-covered lover, but L's legs and voice failed him…

…Perhaps he was scared of what B could possibly due to **him**…?

Or maybe the sight of the blood was just too appalling, forcing Lawliet to stare and watch, cry and unleash cries…?

Or maybe it was Raito's words, Raito's confessions…?

How about all three…?

Yes…That had to be it…

Fear…Power…Torture…Hell…

Pure Hellfire...

"S-Stop B…P-Please…" L hiccupped a cry, his shoulders shaking from his sorrowing sobs.

But Beyond did not stop, did not stop for some minutes; he continued to slash, continued to mutilate the now-silent Raito Yagami; but, he knew Raito was still alive.

His name was still visible in his Eyes, perfectly clear; the copy knew that when someone died, that name, floating and in his line of sight, completely vanished. It was a sign that the person was deceased.

And Raito was not deceased yet…

Which was true, for the Yagami felt every stab that was delivered to his body, felt every tear of his well-toned, but not super-extremely fit, muscles. The young man could feel each slice of skin, and all the pouring of blood from his body. He just had lost the will and strength to scream for any help, for dire need.

All he could do was stare at the frightened raven, who was not more than a mere five feet away.

Raito did have the strength to hear Ryuk, though, who had come down from his perch, and now levitated in thin air, stating,

"It was nice knowing you Raito, kehehehehe. So sorry we have to part like this-Ooh, that one looked like it hurt…Well, I'll just go and get my Death Note and be on my merry way…You were such a cocky fool. Well, toodles!" With a roar of laughter, the Death God outstretched his black-midnight-purple wings, and took off, disappearing through the ceiling, the laugh still echoing in Raito's ears…and it was the last thing he was to hear…

The knife ripped through his back, his chest, all the while, he kept his eyes glued to Lawliet…His sight growing hazier and hazier by the second, until…

_Ahhhh…_

The man let out his last breath…

His arms and legs twitched just for a second, a minute second…but then the appendages froze like marble statues…

Sepia eyes closed slowly, focusing on the sobbing L…who had buried his face into his arms, shaking, still crying like a lonely child…

_Goodbye, L…_

…_B-Be happy…_

OoooOOooOOOOoOOOOOoOooOOOOOo

"Stop, that's enough, that's enough, that's enough…" L murmured to himself, his ability to watch the scene anymore had waned completely, and now, all he could do was talk to himself, since stopping Beyond was out of the picture completely.

Then…the clanging of a metal hitting metal sounded out, and Lawliet lifted his head…

Only to find a bloody body of Raito Yagami face down on the ground, with B standing with his back to L, the knife having been dropped to the floor.

"…H-He's dead." Beyond whispered so softly, L could barely hear the voice that had soothed him so well over the past few days.

"…B-B…" Lawliet could barely speak, but was finally able to move his legs; the thin man slid off the filthy mattress, and wobbled a tad closer to the younger of the two still living.

"Lawliet, I…"

B had no explanation, and was just about to apologize….when he caught sight of L's lifespan in his eyes…

_I-Impossible…_

_It's…_

_Increasing…_

Indeed, the numbers were increasing….Lawliet was to live past November fifth, two-thousand and four…

BB did quick math in his head as the numbers cycled like math scale…

…_You'll live to Fifty Years of age……_

_No, now Sixty Years Old…_

_Seventy…_

_N-Ninety…?!_

_Oh God…_

_That bastard would have killed him…_

_L-Lawli…I j-just saved your life…_

_You can live now…Live past twenty-five years…! That Kira, he **would **have killed you, despite…saying what he did…feeling what he did…_

…_B-But…What about me…_

"W-Was that necessary?" L whispered with a distressed tone, after a moment of Beyond not continuing what he was going to say.

"…Yes." _Oh, if I could only tell you why…_

"B-Beyond, I…"

"No…I know what you're going to say…" Ruby orbs stared down at bloody hands, bloody clothes, and red-fluid stained shirt, "I told you I'm a monster…There were many reasons I had to kill him, all of which I cannot say…" The killer felt a tear fall down his face, and with a hand, he wiped it away, but smeared the blood from his hand onto his face, "I guess…this is goodbye. You can't have a monster like…l-like me around…H-How can you? You're Justice…And what about your safety? I...I can't be such a risk, and be around you…"

_I love you…But I can't stay…_

_You'll just be at greater risk…_

_I can't live without you though…_

_But I have to…_

_For your sake…Your sake alone…_

…_I must._

A smile came onto B's face…A Bloody Smile…

"B-Beyond, wait, listen-"

"No." The copy shook his head, "I messed up. I should have tried to stop myself, but I was just so fucking mad, and-!"B stopped himself, sighing, "Now that I think about it, I probably would not have been able to stop myself…not even if you grabbed onto me, and threw me to the ground…"

"…" When Lawliet remained mute, B continued with,

"I told you Lawli…I'm a monster…I just killed a man in front of you! How can you even bare to look at me! I…I'm so sorry…P-Please, don't blame yourself for this…….It's my fault alone, and f-for that I am s-s-sorry…B-But I think…I think this is over…I-I can't be with you now-"

"Beyond, wait! Don't-We-…We can talk about this…c-can't we!?! I-"

"RYUZAKI!"

A booming voice sounded out in the warehouse, footsteps pounding along the metal floor; the voice held a tone of torturous wonder, but age and wisdom as well.

"W-Watari?!" L turned away from his lover towards the nearest door, screaming his guardian's name not just once, but twice.

_I-Impossible…How did he get here…?! _

_Did he follow Raito…? That would make sense…_

"RYUZAKI! Hang on, I am coming!" The pounding of feet grew closer, and a smile blossomed on Lawliet's face.

"B-Beyond, we can get this resolved, Watari is here-"

…But B was gone…

"B-B?" L gasped softly, flinging his head about, looking in all directions, "BEYOND?!"

But the killer had vanished…

The detective's weary eyes caught a door at the other end of the room, slightly ajar, and he felt his heart break at the sight.

_H-He's gone…_

…_No…_

_BEYOND…!_

L's hands shook as the realization sunk it; Beyond had fled, disappeared…

….And he most likely would never see him again...

…All because B thought of himself as a monster…a devil…Someone Lawliet could never really love NOW…Because of the crime the serial killer had just committed in front of his lover's own eyes….

_Y-You killed him to protect me…_

_You had your other reasons…Maybe I am to not know them ALL, but I can…! And I know ONE! But if you let me in, I CAN KNOW THEM ALL…! I can understand you, I can try…!_

_C-Come back…_

_COME BACK, YOU IDIOT…_

_I NEED YOU…_

_I LOVE YOU…_

Tears sprung up once more in obsidian pools, the mirrors to L's soul clouding with emotion, with distress, despair, doom…

"Ryuzaki!"

It was indeed Watari who appeared in the doorway, his gray-snow-white hair frazzled and tousled, the man heaving heavy breaths from the running he had just partaken in.

"…" L turned his head slightly, glancing at his mentor, then at the prone body of Raito Yagami, the sight of that making Watari mutter,

"Dear God, I'm too late…"

But Lawliet did not reply…

Choosing instead to collapse to the ground, the events in the past almost-ten days catching up with his body, his soul…

Watching Raito die right before his very eyes…

Falling in Love with Beyond Birthday…

And then losing said man because of a horrid incident…

Because the killer found their love to be impossible…

…But was it…?

Even L could not really answer that…

As he tumbled to the ground…Sight darkening…His worn body and mind giving in to the temptation to collapse, to sleep…

To let his mind go into darkness…Where he would not have to think on how he had won the Kira case, by finding out the truth…

But how he had lost the one man he needed in his life in the process...

Lost him for most likely Forever…

"Ryuzaki?!" Quillish's voice was dimming in the raven's ears, growing fainter, duller…Until the detective could not hear even one more call of his name…

And Watari was indeed not on Lawliet's mind…

_Beyond…_

_Beyond…_

…_Come back…_

_Let this all be just a dream…_

_And come back…_

OOOOOoooooOOOOOoooooOOOOOooooo

**Two Days Later**

**Hospital, Kanto Region,**

**11:13 A.M.**

OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOOooooOOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO

There was a quiet hum that reached L's perceptive ears next, then beeping sounds…

Beep…Beep…Beep…

The raven groaned as he struggled to open his worn orbs, bright sunlight streaming in from a row of windows making it even more difficult for the man.

"Easy, Ryuzaki, easy…"

Lawliet was about to call out the name 'Beyond', but immediately realized the soft voice talking to him was not his lover, but Watari.

"W-Watari…?" The raven found himself to be in a warm, but stiff, hospital bed and room; the beeping noises explained by a heart monitor that was beside him. An IV dripped life-giving liquid into the young man, while bandages covered L's brow, his raven-hued bangs covering them. The flooring was a completely white sheen, glistening like diamonds in the sun's rays; the room was a large suite, private, with no other patient other than L himself. Flowers were situated on a night-stand to L's right, the blooms being purple irises...the sight making L's heart tug at its strings.

"Easy, Lawliet, you've been out for two days…"

"Two days?!" The probing question echoed in the sterile air.

"Yes. You collapsed from exhaustion and fatigue at that damned warehouse, and I brought you here immediately, after contacting Yagami Soichiro about the...situation at hand."

"…" Lawliet took a breath, before continuing with, "So…Raito is dead." A statement, not a question.

"…Yes." Quillish whispered, with a nod of his head, "I called the police and the emergency medical squad, along with Soichiro-san, and they tried to revive him, but he was long gone at that point."

"…" L closed his eyes, letting out a breath. "Did they…say anything else about my health, Watari?"

"No. They did a rape test on you, since when examining you, they found signs of rape on your body; but you're clean disease-wise, but your bruises and cuts along your body may never heal. Whatever…whatever Beyond used on you-"

"Please…Watari, I-"

"I know that name hurts you right now, Ryuzaki, but don't worry, I shall find him in time."

"!!" That statement alone made the raven snap open his eyes, "You…you did not find him, then?!"

"…" The grandfatherly figure shook his head, "Correct. I searched the area after the police carted Raito Yagami's body off to the morgue, but there was no sign of Beyond Birthday. I have been searching for the past two days, driving by in any street or alleyway I could in that fishing town…but I fear that he is gone…"

_So do I, Watari…so do I…_Was all Lawliet's mind could state as he laid his head back against the pillow, a blank expression weaving itself onto his features.

"…Ryuzaki-"

"Watari, I must know two things: One…Have you any ideas of what to do about the Kira case? For…Raito confessed. At the end. To being…well…"

Aged blue-gray eyes widened, "You mean he is-"

"Yes." There was no need to say the "K" name now…

"…Well…No. I have no ideas at this particular moment, Ryuzaki. But I suspect you shall think of something in time. You have many nights and days; but, to let you know, Raito's funeral is in two days. And I have only told his father that he was killed by an assailant near your holding 'cell'. I wanted to wait for you, in case you wanted to state anything specific."

"Understood. You can sign me out at that appropriate time of the funeral, I presume?"

The care-taker nodded, and stated, "What was the other question you had for myself?"

"…Oh? Oh, well, what name am I using here in the hospital? Just a simple question, so I do not look like a fool when a nurse talks to me." There was a slight, tired chuckle that came from Lawliet's voice.

"…I chose Rue Ryuzaki. I did not have much time to comprehend another name, Ryuzaki, I was all too worried about your safety."

"…Understood…" L whispered, bowing his head slightly, hiding his becoming-misty orbs.

For that name…

That precious name…

Had once been Beyond Birthday's alias…From an event a long, long time ago…

"Ryuzaki? Shall I just let you rest? I shall go get you some tea if you wish?"

"…That might be nice, I've missed tea…" The detective's voice was nearly mute, Watari had to strain himself to hear the words.

With a nod, the elder left the room, shutting the door as silently as possible, leaving Lawliet to his thoughts.

_He…He really is gone…_

_Gone again…Just like all this time…Just like before…_

_And now I am using his alias too…!? …The pitiful irony…_

…_Why…_

_Why did you just leave like that…_

_You…D-Didn't even say goodbye…_

And it was that thought that unleashed new waves of tears that streamed down Lawliet's face as he cried mutely, daring not to speak a word; the man barely let out any soft noises or sobs.

Just him…and his tears. Like it had always been…

Just L and his feelings…

Just L and his lonely heart…

And when Mister Wammy returned to see his crying protégé, he immediately assumed the tears were for the death of Raito Yagami, and perhaps the failure to capture Beyond; Lawliet did not tell him otherwise.

What point was there in doing so…?

Beyond would never return, that much was certain…

L was alone again…

Just right back where he started…

And when he flung the tea from his mentor's hands, sending it crashing to the ground, the raven ordered the man to be gone, to exit the room, and to not return until much later…

Clutching a pillow, staining it with tears…

That was all Lawliet did for the rest of the day…

While Beyond Birthday stayed constantly on his thoughts…

And Raito Yagami was barely even thought of…

_OooOOOOooooOOOOOOOOo_

_Sweet, so would I,  
Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing.  
Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow,  
That I shall say good night till it be morrow._

_- Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene II_

_OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO_

A/N: Another fitting end quote T____T

At first, this chapter did not make me cry in the least, but at the end, I felt extremely sad; sometimes it takes a while…

Well, did any of you see this really coming? Hmm?

AND NO, ladies and gentlemen, **THIS IS NOT THE END. NOT by a LONG-SHOT**. There are two more chapters, and then an epilogue, so three chapters all together.

And the next chapter is going to be special. Do you all remember when Raito wrote L that letter? Well, the next chapter is going to BE that letter, nothing else! Stay tuned for the inner workings of Raito Yagami's mind, AND what occurs after all this stuff.

Thank you all for reading thus far! We've only got a tiny bit more to go! The chapters may or may not be THAT long, I have to see, but still, everything is coming to a close!

Much love to you all!


	19. Epitaph

A/N: So, we're moving on, to the next chapter! I know many of you were happy with the outcome, but of course, some were not! Sadly, I can't please you all XD But I do give much love to you all and thank you all for your support, dissenters and all. Just reading my story, and giving me your thoughts pleases me. ^^

Please enjoy, but I am warning you, this chapter can be quite emotional at times: I present to you now, Raito's letter.

Inspired by the songs "100 Years" by Five for Fighting and "Watch Over You" by Alter Bridge, the latter especially, which, I feel, truly fits this chapter, due to its sad and powerful lyrics. I'd recommend all of you take a listen to it.

_OOoOOoOOOOOOOOoooOoo_

_"Doubt that the sun doth move, doubt truth to be a liar,_

_But never doubt I love."_

_- Hamlet, (Act II, Scene II)_

_OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOoOoOOOOOooOooOOOOoOO_

_Dear…Ryuzaki… (Illegible scribbles)…No, Dear L…Or Dear Hideki Ryuga…?_

_You know what, who the hell ARE you, I love the shit out of you and you don't even give your real name and-…_

…_Okay, that was a horrid way to start this letter, and I am sorry. Please don't throw it away just yet, okay? Not until you have read all that I have to say._

_So…_

_Dear L, _

_If you are reading this, it can only mean one of two things: One, I am dead and gone, and you have found this letter stuck inside your laptop, and are reading it now, perhaps after my funeral? Or maybe before, who knows. Or, the second, and very, very unlikely, option: I am still living, but you have accidentally stumbled upon this letter before I could burn it. I can only hope that whatever outcome occurred, you are alive and well and that I was able to save you somehow, and you are reading this safe and sound. _

_And no matter what happened, there is nothing to do now but tell you the truth. _

_I love you. _

…_Yes, I'll give you a minute to let that sink in, I'm sure you weren't expecting that, eh? Haha, I know you weren't you little devil you, you're such a recluse. I bet you were expecting a confession, right? Well…you got one. And you're getting another:_

_I am Kira. _

_Both of those confessions are so hard to state at this point, and I shall say, I had never planned on telling you the second one, or at least not for some time. I only state it here because if you are truly reading this, the first option, my death, is the most likely outcome of what has occurred. And with death comes truth, never doubt that. _

_Like how you should never doubt that I loved you…that I love you. Past, present, what does it matter now?_

_I know, you probably think I am crazy for spewing these kinds of words, but I am far from it. _

_You may be a recluse, you may be on the verge of being called a megalomaniac, you may be childish, rude, immature, cocky, devilish, evil, and want to destroy the kingdom I wish to create…_

_But you've captured my attention with your looks, your brains, your quirks…And that innocence you tried to hide, L. _

_After you vanished, I could not help but think about you; at first, I won't lie, I was glad you were gone, I hoped you were gone forever. _

_But then…I realized that the challenge of living, of surviving, of being Kira…all went out like a candle when you just waltzed right out of my life._

_Maybe that was what gave my love its birth, how it came to be, but who's to really say? I can't tell, I just know it happened…_

_I also know you don't love me. _

_Yeah, yeah, I'm sure you're probably thinking 'How do YOU know what I feel?', in that cocky and presumptuous way you always calculate and think and ponder. But I know I am right this time. I mean, really, why __would__ you love __me__? Even more so when I tell you that I am the Mass-Murderer you have been hunting for, for so long; the same Kira that has sought and tried to kill you, the same hunter who has been stalking his prey, being both the prey and hunter in this game of cat-and-mouse between myself and you, all the while I hunt down my own, my criminal-esque sacrifices…_

_I came to want you as my partner, love-wise, as I ruled as Kira…Oh, I had many ideas on how to juggle both; perhaps I would love you so much you would be distracted enough to lessen your search for Kira? Or maybe you would rule BY my side, as Kira too?_

_…I would not kill you though; I know you were thinking about that idea as you read that last paragraph._

_L! I would never kill you, I swear! Now that I love you, what use would that be to me? I would rule in despair, I would rule in anguish in my heart! _

…

_You doubt that too, I can sense it all the way from the Other Side…But I understand…Because as I sit here writing this…_

…_I doubt it too…I doubt that I could have kept you alive AND have been Kira…And I doubt that you would just have fallen in love with me just like that, if I was living at this point…_

_I doubt it all, but it does not mean I am just willing to give up!! I have the will and strength to make this work, make US work! L, I know you hate me at this point and time, but PLEASE, give me the chance and-_

…_I will not even bother finishing that statement, because there is no point. _

_If my death resulted in you finding this letter, then there is no point. For I have no more chances with you. _

_No…I never __got__ a chance with you; but I cannot regret it. _

_Die with no regrets, my father used to say that many times when I was a young kid, and I cannot die with regretting never getting a chance to be with you, to love you, to be your boyfriend, partner, whatever you wish to call it. For those feelings alone changed myself, my life, so much…so I must thank you for just being present, for waltzing into my life and changing me in the most inexplicable way._

_But you only waltzed into my life because…of Kira…So I guess this is the part where I should explain that, huh?_

_It was all just an accident, to begin with. You'll never find this, but the tool was called, in a sad way, a Death Note. _

_So, yes, L, Ryuzaki, Kira is a Supernatural Killer…I killed by writing the names of person who I wanted dead into a notebook. _

_I know you shall think I am insane, but I speak the truth here; for why should I lie when I am dead and gone? _

_Ryuk the Shinigami was the owner of the Notebook before I, and yes, that explains the "Shinigami" mentioning on that tape, does it not? _

_And with that Death Note, I could control how a person died as well; Naomi Misora was, for example, a suicide. You are never going to find her body though; I had planned it that way. And many of those other criminals? Who left messages for you? They were to mess with your head, and yes, the messages were part of my bidding. _

_I could control their actions, their fates, how and when they perished…I was God. _

_But I was a mortal God, sadly, for you would not be reading this if I WAS an immortal God, right? Haha…_

_And yes, you were right about so much concerning Kira; how I needed a real name to kill, for example. Hence you being alive. Sometimes I would set dates of death early, and then all I would have to do is enter their names…It was so easy…_

_At first, I didn't even believe it was all real; but once I found out it was truthful, I continued on, killing off the criminals daily, sometimes hourly, when I was not busy. _

_It became addicting…_

_The power soon coursed through my veins, and I knew I had to do this job…For the World…For Myself…_

_For You…_

_L, I just wanted to create a better world, where we could just all be safe, happy, free of fear…Free of pain and suffering from dark hands…For if criminals continued to die, then none would eventually raise a hand in violence, in rage, in hurt…no more pettiness either, L! Can you imagine it? I was building the society of the future…_

_I was building a world we could have shared together…_

_And yes, I did not work alone on this; Misa Amane was indeed the Second Kira. _

_She had a special little gift, which I guess I can talk of, called the Eyes. The Shinigami Eyes, if you want the full name. _

_She could see a human's name and lifespan, despite it being hidden in records, or if the person used an alias…such as yourself. _

_Yes, L, she did kill many criminals, and yes, L, she is responsible for the death of Officer Ukita from your Task Force. And yes, I was planning on using her to kill you…_

…_I hate this…admitting to the man you love the ways you killed, how you would have gone about killing him…It tears at me, Ryuzaki, believe me…_

_She would have seen your true name with her eyes, and then…with a few swipes of my pen…_

…_I'm so sorry you have to read this…But I want you to, too…_

_And you cannot arrest Misa, I shall warn you now! She also has her Shinigami, named Rem, and a Death Note as well…And I know Rem will kill you if you arrest or hurt Misa, I'm lucky she has not killed me yet…The creature loves or is in love with that girl…_

_But I am not. _

_I know you shall hear Misa wailing over my death, how I am her 'boyfriend', how we were 'lovers', but it was all pretend, L…_

_I bet you're thinking that is probably false too, but you must believe me, at least this once. I have never felt love for Misa, not one bit. I'll admit, she is a pretty girl, but yes, she is not my type. Bubbly and annoying don't fit my qualifications for a perfect match, haha…I was just using her, and I hope you don't hate me for stating that; for reading that I used a girl, took advantage of her, just because I killed the murderer of her parents…I've used a hell of a lot of people, though, L…_

_I just hope I would not have used you…_

_But I do not want you to worry too much about Misa, so long as you do not plan to pursue actions against her; I have already taken care of her in a way, telling her if I was to die within this certain period of days, or at all, that she was to give up the Death Note. Unfortunately, she will not remember anything involving that tool of death, which means she will not remember the killings she committed. But please, just let her go; I know I have no right to ask you that sort of favor, but I fear you shall be in danger if I do not._

…_Looking back at all of this, it does sort of shock me, how it all came to be, how Kira came to be…Again, though, I cannot regret it._

_This was my destiny, and I must accept it. _

_Like how I accepted that I could possibly die while trying to rescue you; I'm not immortal, I'm human, and to ere is human, yes?_

_And again, if you're reading this, I've erred along the way, resulting myself in not being there to hug you, talk sweet to you, kiss that adorable nose of yours…_

_Watch over you…Protect you…_

_'Protect you from what?' is probably what you're thinking, and I cannot answer that… _

_Maybe the World, maybe Myself…I don't really know. I just know my feelings._

_But it just…wasn't meant to be, I guess…_

_And if things go according to plan, Kira should vanish from this world for the rest of your life, or at least this current Kira, and the Second Kira. For the two people who had been killing all this time are long gone, Misa included, and I can only hope you handle the situation in a nice, clean way. _

_I know it is not my place to make suggestions, but seeing this as being my last chance, I guess I can put my two cents in, if that is alright with you. I'm lucky you're still even reading this far, haha…_

_Just end this case in the simplest way possible for yourself, L, that's all I am going to suggest. I do hope you do not tell my parents I was Kira, I know it would break my father's heart, and my mother and sister's as well. And as for explaining my death, I do not know how you will go about that, but perhaps tie it in with Kira? Since I am Kira, and He is Me. And if one goes and then the other goes right after…well, I know some people would suspect something, I just know. But you are a genius, Ryuzaki, I know you'll figure something out; it's one of the reasons I love you. The Task Force knows someone else other than Kira has kidnapped you, but I know you will work out all the kinks…You're my L, you can do whatever you need to, to succeed. _

_Just solve it, win, in a way, and close the book and move on…_

…_I just hope you never forget this case, or myself…_

_For L…I know I shall never see you again, not even in an Afterlife…_

_For those that use the Death Note can go to neither Heaven nor Hell…so I am afraid I shall never have the option to see you again; I shall just be going to Nothingness, or Mu as some call it. _

_It shall be the hardest part of my eternity, never seeing you again…Because I know you will end up in Heaven, L, I know it, there's no doubt in my mind. You may doubt it because of your own opinions of yourself, your own self-esteem, but it is true. _

_You do more good than evil, Ryuzaki, so don't worry; I know you're going to have a happy eternity. _

_And…as for your life here…on Earth…_

_I would have loved to have been the one to kiss you, hold you, make love to you, make you feel pleasure, joy, ecstasy, happiness…comfort…peace…togetherness…All things I bet you haven't felt yet in your…what, twenty-five? Twenty-seven? Years of living… I am not even sure of your age, haha! Yet, I still love you, isn't that crazy? Well, I know you're not some old forty year old, right? Because if you do, you're damn good at concealing it, haha…No, I kid you, I know you're young. Young and beautiful; you'll find someone else to appreciate all of that, I know it…_

_But you have to try, L…You have to try when you meet that certain someone. Yes, yes, I know you're probably pouting and thinking I'm just stating romantic talk because I'm dead and gone and that I still love you…but that isn't the only reason!_

_I want you to be happy, I want you to live, L, but I need you to come out of your shell too. You're going to stumble along the way, and meet someone who probably fits you in every single way, and you are going to have to not be so shy and secretive, so hidden away with your work and worries, and tell them the truth, alright? Okay, MAYBE that person won't fit you in every single way; hell, they may turn out to be the total opposite of you, but still…you can't help whom you fall in love with, L, and I know it's going to happen to you eventually. Even if it isn't me, or was never meant to be me…you'll fall hard. We all do. _

_You're human, it'll happen. You're not God, you're not a robot, you'll fall head over heels in love, and it'll happen just like that…_

_Oh dear God, I sound like those American talk show hosts, don't I?_

_Well, I blame MISA for that, at least YOU haven't had to sit with her through girlie movies, haha!_

…_I guess…even though I'm dead…I'll probably miss that...ALL of that…I don't know what Nothingness is really like, I'm guessing it's just, well, nothing. (Oh, aren't I a witty man?) And…well, nothing dull is really up to my standards, I suppose. Another reason I loved you so much, you weren't dull in the least, L. _

_L…What a name-er, alias, in your case, I guess? To think, I could imagine myself screaming that in passion-_

_Okay, yeah, I won't finish that statement… ((Illegible scribbles; underlining, the words 'dammit' and 'fool of yourself' are legible, though)). _

_Are you bored with reading this yet? God, I hope not, I AM trying to be romantic with this and all. Yes, yes Raito Yagami does not equal romantic, but neither does L, so no snide comments, pal, got it? But…I would have loved to have been romantic with you. Take you somewhere nice, just hug you…maybe while hiding from prying eyes…_

_You know, you were forbidden fruit to me, if you really think about it. L, the World's Greatest Detective, and Kira…together? It sounds illogical, improbable, but somewhere, something inside me tells me it could have had a chance to work…_

_And I don't like to think of the possibility of you having to die by my hands, L, not now…Do you think it would have turned out that way? If you and I had…given ourselves a chance to become 'we'? _

_It doesn't matter now, though, does it? You'll never die by my hands now, or ever. In fact, I bet you'll live for such a long time, L…You know why? _

_Because Kira was the worst enemy you shall ever face; because I was Kira, and you and I are so much alike…no one can match you, except myself, and even then, I didn't match you completely. _

_No, you're going to live for a long, long while…You're young, you'll be fine. Unless you get diabetes, you bastard! Cut down on the sugar, or I swear, to all that is holy, I will HAUNT YOU, even from MU!_

…_Haha, sorry about the capitalization there…I sort of got excited. Weird, huh, did you ever think you'd be getting a letter like this from me that had me, at one moment, talking to you like a lover, and then the next, scolding you like a mother? Interesting, isn't it?_

_Maybe that is what a person who really loves you is…they love you like how a lover would, a boyfriend would, but protect you like a mother and-or father would? I can't really say, you're the first person I've ever felt this strong of an emotion for._

…_No, I am not lying. I can just see that roll-of-the-eyes from you, you insensitive bastard. I hate that about you, you know that? How you can be such a…a…Lord, there ISN'T a word to describe you. But I __am__ speaking the truth, I have never loved another woman or man before you. Yeah, I've found them pretty, attractive, some smart, but you, oh YOU…You're something else. _

_I hate you and love you at the same time…Sometimes I love you more than I hate you, other times it is vice versa. _

_I think hate and love are tied together, L…One moment, you can despise the person, the next, you just want to kiss them, whisk them off somewhere, and have them. Love them. _

_Crazy, isn't it? Emotions like that…I guess it comes with being a human. _

_Even though…I bet you think I lost my humanity when I became Kira; maybe that was another goal of mine, trying to show that I was still human by rescuing you, loving you. But the question is, who was I trying to prove that to? I still think I was human…or do I? I can't really say at this point. And was I trying to prove it to you? Or myself? Or Ryuk? Who? Was I still human, L? I…I'm not even sure, now…_

_Unfortunately, as I write this, continue to write this…I'm realizing there isn't much time left for myself, I'm one, running out of space/paper to write with, and two, I need to rest before I go and save you from that hell. So, unfortunately, there isn't much left of my letter to read. _

_I could go on forever, I wish I could…I wish I could talk to you forever, it'd be such a joy, but this will be the last time you, in a way, hear my voice. _

_As I write this, the sky is dark, and I have to wonder if you can see it, L…from that warehouse. Oh, yes, I know it's a warehouse. I know all about where you are, whom you are with, hence my coming to save you. Hence my dying for you. Of course, I didn't picture the latter to happen, but…oh well? I cannot help it, I just have to accept it. _

_Can you see the stars from where you are, L? Or are you locked up in a hole in that filthy place? I hope it's the first option, I hope you're looking at Cygnus and the other stars, just like I am. You're like the Swan, in a lot of ways. You think you're an ugly duck, but you're so beautiful…you grew into a beautiful man. And not to mention, your hair can look like the plumage of a water-fowl, haha!_

_A sexy water-fowl, of course…Hehe…_

_Mmm, L, I wish I could have asked you all sorts of questions about your personality, what you liked and disliked. And no, I don't just mean sugar and justice and criminals and socks, I meant more like…children. Do you like kids? I know I could have never given you one, but-_

_Okay, yeah, I'm getting ahead of myself, aren't I? We're not even together, and I'm sounding like I'm fucking married to you…Hell, I haven't even DONE you, so…_

_But still…I pictured us, for a moment there, a happy couple…a classic couple. Though I hate acting all commonplace, I like being an individual, I think I would have quite enjoyed that outcome, if you and I were together. You know, an adopted kid or two, a nice home somewhere in England with you, since you've been there. Or maybe here in Japan? Maybe a nice small garden…No picket fences, though, I hate fences._

_As I sit here, writing this, I realize that if you're reading this, it means that…well…none of that has the chance to be. And there's a tiny pang in my heart when I think about that, L. _

…_I dreamt about you a lot, more than I'm willing to admit, but I guess I can state it here. Even before you disappeared, I dreamt about you. Twice, if I recall correctly. The first was a traditional Kira VS. L dream, fighting and all, you ending up dead in the end…_

…_The second was different though…_

_You were dying, but I hadn't harmed you whatsoever; in fact, I ran to your side, begged you to "hang on!" That "Help was coming!"… And you stated…"You can't save me unless you save yourself first, Raito-kun…"_

…_You died then…And I remember crying, and slapping your face, trying to wake you up, then kissing it, then slapping…on and on…_

_You never woke up, and I remember waking up in bed, and I nearly broke down, and I had no idea why…_

_I know why now…_

_It was then my feelings for you were beginning to grow even more so; but, there was a message in that dream that applies to my current state:_

_I hadn't 'saved' myself, hence me not saving you. _

_Unless I did save you, in a way? I cannot predict what occurred there…but I guess it wasn't good. If I am dead, it can't be, right? _

_But you have to be safe, in order to be reading this..._

_I guess what I'm trying to say is…I didn't really SAVE you if I am dead, now did I? Most likely, you know and-or saw me die, and that is far from saving a person. _

_Ah…It's so complicated.  
_

_You're complicated._

_I'm complicated. _

_We're both two freaking complicated people, now, aren't we?_

_…But I love that about you, L. _

_We would've been quite a pair, quite a pair indeed…We already were a pair, in a way, just not THE pair I would have liked. _

_I almost wish we could have met under different circumstances, but then I wonder if I would have loved you the same…probably, but would have all the thrills and chills still been there? Huh, something to ponder. _

_Or, for you to ponder, since this is goodbye, L. _

_((Teardrop on the paper))…_

_Goodbye doesn't mean forever though, does it L? If…If there is a way I can get to you, I shall try, but…but…_

_This really is goodbye…_

_I'll find a way to watch over you, L, Ryuzaki, Ryuga, Mr. Recluse…Mr. Sweetness…I could think of so many things to call you…_

_I'll never get to say them though…only here will you see them, and a tiny part of me doubts you will keep this letter forever…_

_Heh…Forever. Stupid word, sometimes, you know? Sure, sometimes it's great, as in "I'll love you forever", but then, "I'm gone forever"? How is that great?_

…_I'll love you forever L, but I'm gone forever…_

…_See?_

_(((Another teardrop)))_

_And I'm crying too, dammit, I promised myself I wouldn't…That I was just using this letter to state facts, not tell you how much I'll miss you…_

_Dear God, I'll miss you L...I'll miss you so much...  
_

_Please, L, promise me you'll be careful; you're risking your life being out there…_

_And you know what? You won. You beat Kira, congrats…And you won because I fell in love with you. _

_You won right then and there. Plain and simple. _

_Because my world, my Kingdom…it all came crashing down, didn't it?_

_And you didn't even have to lift a finger to win; you just had to exist and meet me. _

_You lucky little son-of-a…_

_Heh…_

_Well, L, this is where I end this, and I end it as best as I can…_

_I love you, and I know I shall always. Even if you've never felt the same, and even if you never will, it's alright. I know that there was the chance of that occurring, you not loving me, but it's okay, really. It won't change my own feelings. Never. _

_So, go on…Go find someone else, someone you really love; and just take the knowledge that you have learned here tonight with you. That somewhere, Raito Yagami is thinking of you in his eternity, his Nothingness, and that one day, he hopes to see you again, if there is a Higher Being up there that'll let him. _

_Be brave, be strong, and be patient, L…_

_Because one day, I'll come to you. I'll find a way, I won't give up! Even if you've moved on, even if we'll never be together, not even on the other side, I shall find my way to you…_

_Even if we just end up saying "Hi" and nothing else…It'll be worth it. _

_I can only hope that your face was the last thing I saw, L…Because if it was, I'll tell you this:_

_I died a happy man. _

_So…I guess this would be the place where I would kiss you goodbye, if we were talking face to face…but…Just know that I would, if I ever could…_

_Goodbye…_

_And be happy, L. _

_Be Happy._

_That's all I can wish for now. _

…

_With love, always,_

_Raito Yagami_

_OoOOooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO_

_"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?_

_Thou art more lovely and more temperate:_

_Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,_

_And summer's lease hath all too short a date:_

_Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,_

_And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;_

_And every fair from fair sometime declines,_

_By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimm'd;_

_But thy eternal summer shall not fade,_

_Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;_

_Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,_

_When in eternal lines to time thou growest;_

_So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,_

_So long lives this, and this gives life to thee."_

_- "Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day?" William Shakespeare_

_OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoO_

A/N: Ah, a very fitting sonnet to end with, in my opinion. ^^

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, despite the shortness. Though, I planned it to be this length, due to it just being Raito's letter and all.

Thank you very much for reading, there are two more chapters to come! I shall be replying to all reviews shortly! ^-^


	20. Serenity

A/N: Wow, I hadn't figured we'd reach this ending so quickly, and it saddens me. Okay, this isn't the FINAL chapter, if we count the epilogue, but if we don't it is. So, special moment for me, in a way ^^

I'd like to thank you all for your kindness and never-ending support, and a happy Memorial Day Weekend celebration to all those who celebrate!

And for the one degrading hater who reviewed last chapter, I just have one thing to say to you, and you know who you are. ((And so does anyone who's checked my reviews)):

**You'll Never Make Me Stop Writing.**

No matter HOW HATEFUL and DEGRADING you get. Understood? Comprede? Got it memorized?

Well, then, on with the show. : D

P.S. Italics here are also flashbacks, along with being internal thoughts

_OoOoooooooooooooooOOOOOOoOoOooOOOooOo_

_"My love's more richer than my tongue."_

_- King Lear, Act I, Scene I_

_OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO_

A bony hand released the deceased one's letter, letting it flutter down to the oak desk before him; L choosing to direct his eyes blankly out the window directly in front of his eyes.

The storm had been going on since dawn; how fitting, God crying when a "God" is buried.

The city's lights, though, had far from dimmed, twinkling like precious gems as pedestrians looking like ants, from L's height, of course, scurried about like the insects they reminded the detective of, trying to not catch a cold in the downpour, holding onto their umbrellas tightly.

It was L's last night in Japan, and inwardly, the man could not be happier.

_It is time to leave this all behind…Just move on, that's all…_

Lawliet's snow-white appendage reached out and touched the window-pane; cold glass sent a shiver up his spine, and he let out a sigh. Raindrops were sounding out a symphony against the pane; sadly, it did nothing to ease the man's pain and aching fatigue.

The past sixteen-some days had been long and tiring on the normally reclusive man…

This morning though…had hurt the most…

…

_Raito Yagami had been buried at the _**_Iyoku Cemetery_**, _right under a shaded apple tree that was in full bloom in the spring time. L had decided to attend, though no one forced him to do so. The raven had even dressed up for the occasion in a dress shirt and black slacks, deciding that when one died trying to save you, and even proclaimed that they loved you while they suffered, one should look prim and proper while burying them six feet under the crust of Mother Gaia's domain._

_Though, the raven did stand farther back, away from the gathered crowd; even dead, Raito Yagami was popular. Schoolmates, family, and the investigation team had all lined up to pay their last respects. _

_Sachiko Yagami was bawling, but as polite as she could be without causing a scene; L's heart tugged at the sight of a grieving mother, despite him truly never getting the chance to know his own that well. The Yagami woman clutched to her husband, who looked so despondent and grave, Lawliet's heart and pity went out to him as well. It was not until the ride back that L was to learn the reason that Soichiro looked on the verge of suicidal: He had told his son not to die, and he had done just that. Watari had overheard the conversation, and the tone of the eldest Yagami's voice, and at that moment, when Raito had walked out the door to save Lawliet, Wammy had made a silent prayer…that was apparently unheard. _

_What had been worse was breaking the news of Raito's murder to Soichiro; that had been left up to Watari, since L had been hospitalized at the time, and what had ensued was screaming, shouts of "NO!" and "YOU'RE KIDDING ME, NO!", ending with the officer breaking a vase, and falling down in tears, all the while Aizawa, Mogi, and Matsuda had looked onward, shaking their heads, muttering unbelievable words of horror._

_L's sources, or, source, since it was Matsuda, had informed him that Sachiko and Sayu had taken the news in the same sort of fashion, which is only understandable. But it was Misa who went to the extreme, throwing fits, screaming about their future, their lives, and screaming "NO! HE SAID IT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN! TO JUST BE __PREPARED__!"_

_"NO!! NO, RAITO, NO! LET ME BE BURIED WITH HIM!!" _

_Lawliet awoke from his reverie to see the Amane woman nearly leaping into the grave as the midnight-hued casket was lowered into the ground; thankfully, Aizawa was quick on the draw, and grabbed the weeping blonde, pulling her back, Misa kicking and screaming all the while, her Gothic funeral attire becoming horribly wet and dirty in the downpour.  
_

_L shook his head, glancing over at Quillish next to him; the elder held the black umbrella with a steady hand. _

_"W-Watari…I…"_

_"Memento mori, my Ryuzaki…memento mori…"_

_Ah, yes, the classic Latin phrase: "Remember you are mortal"…"Be mindful of death"…In other words, L should not blame himself for the atrocity that had occurred; it had just been a twist of fate no one had seen coming…_

…_Except perhaps a God…_

_The raven scratched his left ankle with his right foot, a nervous habit of his, as he watched the priest do the sign of the cross over the grave, stating the final prayer…_

_"Ashes to Ashes, dust to dust…"_

_Lawliet caught Kiyomi Takada leaving early, during the prayer, shaking her head, her body shaking; Yamamoto, a classmate of Raito's holding her shoulder, trying to whisper comforting words that would have no effect. _

_"…Let us take our leave, Watari…" L murmured, turning away with hurried footsteps, the elder catching up quickly, wanting to keep his protégé out of the raindrops. _

_"Of course, Ryuzaki…You still need your rest, and this is all…"_

_"Dreary? Depressing? Makes one feel guilt-ridden?"_

_"Yes, Ryuzaki. Perfect words exactly…"_

…

The letter though…that letter floating right in front of Lawliet's crystalline eyes…That had been far from expected; Raito Yagami did not seem to have any romantic inclinations whatsoever, not one bone in his body was thought to have that sort of idealism. Apparently, L had been mistaken.

Perhaps it had been because the brunette guessed that he may not come back alive from his venture; he obviously knew about said chance, and then wrote out his true feelings, even if they were not synonymous to his natural and classic behavior.

Lawliet, to his own surprise, actually believed the story of the "Death Note" that Raito had weaved on paper; it made all of the facts add up, every last one, and L knew, deep down, Raito would not lie to him if he was on his deathbed. Maybe in the normalcy of normal days, yes, then perhaps…but now? No, there was no reason to.

Gray-black gems glanced over at the letter once more, the word "Kira" catching in L's line of vision; handling the Kira case ending was quite easy, actually. Watari and L had both stated, when Soichiro and the other officers had visited the raven in the hospital, that Kira himself, along with a henchman, had kidnapped L, the henchman himself having gotten too close to Lawliet, and was an "old acquaintance", and that said "old acquaintance" was the "assailant" Watari had talked of that had killed the young brunette. Thanks to Raito's brave actions, though, the two villains had been killed, though their identities were not to be released to anyone, including Yagami and his Task Force. L claimed it would be for the "safety of Kira's family members" and for "the public as well." Soichiro objected of course, but gave in to the detective's demands after a heated debate between the two. The men were also unsure that Kira truly had been killed, but again, L persuaded (albeit, not that kindly) that the men wait exactly forty-eight hours to make sure all was well and done. Raito had already been dead for awhile when the news of his passing was broken to his family; the police had to comply, at L's firm insistence.

Now, two days had come and gone, Raito having been dead four in total, and Kira had not made one single move.

It was, indeed, evident that Kira was gone forever…Gone, due to Raito Yagami's actions.

The man was to die a hero in the eyes of his loved ones…

Not shunned at all as he should have been, due to his past actions.

_It is for the best…Might as well not drag out the pain any further…Yagami already lost his son due to Death's hand…I should not murder the honor he holds his son to, too…_

With a sigh, Lawliet stepped away from the window, turning back towards the plush, red couch, and the dark coffee table; he had picked up the letter from Raito before traversing over to the furniture and crouching on the couch, his obsidian eyes glancing over words every so often.

No, in his heart, Lawliet knew he did not love Raito; he had liked him as a friend yes, to an extent, and had found himself and the brunette to be quite compatible. But, sadly, love was not in his heart for Raito. Mostly due to the fact that he had never gotten the chance to really know the young man, there had been no time. Perhaps, if they had spent more hours together, even if it was fighting against one another as Kira and L, the results could have possibly been different, they could have possibly gone the young Yagami's way.

Everything had changed though…that night L had been taken by Beyond…

"…" The detective winced as he once more thought of his lover…or perhaps it would be more accurate for one to say "One-time-Only" lover.

For Beyond had not returned to Lawliet's side within the past four days…

And after tonight…L would not be returning to Japan…

"…Just don't think about him…" The bushy-haired one murmured to himself, "If he…If he really cared, he would have come back, yes? You should be angrier…r-right?"

The young man curled up into himself even more so, his lanky arms draped around his knees, his bony chin on his even bonier knee-caps.

_Perhaps I do need this vacation…_

He and Quillish Wammy were not just leaving Japan, they were leaving FOR Winchester, England. The elder had insisted on Lawliet taking a break due to his "traumatic events", and that no case work for a long while was to be a necessity; Lawliet had heard the conversation between his mentor and Roger Ruvie earlier that afternoon, arranging the processes…

…

_"Yes, Roger, L is well, but…I worry of his health and state of mind. He is even quieter than before, which I guess is understandable…"_

_"…Hm? Yes, and there is the fact that Beyond was…well, the assailant…Beyond Birthday…" Watari let out a sigh, before continuing on the phone, _

_"I worry about him, though, Roger…Something is different about our L. He seems even more withdrawn than before…I know Beyond raped him, but…is that the sole cause of this? He is barely speaking to me; I wonder what he is keeping from us."_

_"…" Silence for some time; L could spot, from the dark corner he was eavesdropping in, that Watari was running a wrinkled, pale hand through his thinning hair. _

_"If you think that would help him, Roger…Getting him out of here, away from it all…He witnessed his main suspect and possible friend get murdered, for God's sake…My heart really goes out to him. If we return home, it may be quite beneficial…He could visit with his successors, enjoy some relaxation time…Yes, yes, can you help me arrange it…? …Oh, good, you can? Yes, we shall leave tomorrow morning."_

_"Oh, no, no he should not have any case work…It will just add to his hurt even more so…Yes, yes, I understand. All right, take care Roger, I shall see you soon…And I shall try to see if I can find out more about what is bothering him…"_

_…_

Wammy had failed at that last part though; L had refused to budge, to really tell him what was wrong…

Lawliet dared not share the pain that was boiling in his heart; Watari would not believe it, and in essence, L was not one for sharing this sort of hurt, this sort of rage.

Because, truthfully, that was what it was: Hurt AND Rage. The young copy had just left, just like that, with only a cryptic message of words directed at L, which continued to swim about in the raven's head; but he, a genius, could not detect a true meaning. And then there was the fact that he had not even bid him a true goodbye! No hug, no "I shall see you soon", nothing!

The detective felt indeed used; a darker side insisted that Beyond had just wanted to see L fall for him, and then leave. And as the hours passed, that idea became further and stronger cemented in L's mind. He did not want to think of that sort of ideal, but B's actions were so obscure, so thick, that the raven had no choice but to come up with theories as such.

…_You have spent too much time crying over this incident, Lawliet…It's time you go back to how it used to be, because really, does this not show that nothing has changed…? The one person whom you thought cared about you won't even stick around long enough to explain the truth…H-He…He just chose to run…But he always told **me **to stop running…_

_No, no more…I'm through…I'll return back to how I was…_

…_If I can…Lawliet, can you really…? After all this…_

The vulnerability hurt like hundreds of needles piercing his body, and despite L thinking he could maybe turn back time, get things back to how they used to be, the raven knew deep down he would be unable to. Those walls were gone for good, thanks to a certain someone…

So L was stuck; stuck with being actually human, actually feeling remorse, suffering, pain…feelings he had hidden away for so long, sensations he had chosen to not be bothered with, to forget about, to think nothing of…

Now firmly depressed, Lawliet was about to press the button on his microphone, the one that allowed him to be in firm contact with Watari, and ask the man for a piece of cake…when a squeaking noise interrupted his process.

It sounded similar to that of hinges, either on a door or window, and the raven kept still, his pale ears perking up.

"…Watari?" Footsteps, soft, barely audible ones, were caught by the detective's excellent hearing abilities, L's body completely frozen, obsidian orbs focusing on the laptop in front of him.

"…You always going to ask that when I come into the room quietly?"

Lawliet openly gasped at the voice; oh, he knew that voice…but he first guessed his mind was playing tricks on him.

Barely raising his head, L glanced over at the mirror hanging above the fireplace that was situated in front of him, the object not alight in beautiful flames, but still having logs in it, ready and able for use at any time. The mirror barely sparkled in the dim lighting, L only having a tiny lamp lit on the table that was up against the far left wall…but Lawliet could still see into the mirror…

And he saw Beyond Birthday standing there, behind him, behind the couch, the man's head hanging forlornly.

"…What are you doing here? HOW did you get here?" The detective whispered, his eyes still locked on the mirror revealing his lover's position.

"Heh…I got in through a hotel window down on the first floor, and just snuck my way up to this room...And would you believe that I had…a…uh…a craving for jam?"

L whipped his head around at the joking comment, and at the slight chuckle coming from his copy. Anger and rage and despair shot like laser beams unto B's person, and the killer visibly flinched, deciding to step back. Beyond stepped back even more so when L slowly slinked off the couch, stalking over to the other as if the raven-man was a big cat in Africa.

"Is all this some sort of joke to you, Beyond?"

"…" Ruby eyes turned away from the enraged older one, locking onto the green carpeting; B was soaking wet, dripping onto the flooring, and the nineteen-year old shivered as the rain water soaked through his clothes, but he paid no mind to the subconscious action, and neither did L. But B especially, for he was too distracted by the rage in his lover's eyes.

"Well?"

"…You're mad at me."

"And I shouldn't be? Beyond, you just LEFT! After all that-"

"Lawli, I have a lot of good reasons for why I did what I did…All of it."

"…" L remained silent for a moment, waiting to see if the other would speak up, and when Beyond did no such action, Lawliet spat, "Well? I am waiting."

"…I can't tell you-"

"You ALWAYS state that, Beyond."

"…" The murderer sighed, "I know…"

"And last time I checked, someone told myself time and time again to open up; but he now, in turn, will do no such thing."

"…L, this…this is just…I…"

"You what?"

"I just CAN'T this time, I'm sorry."

The glare that came from Lawliet was synonymous to that of Hell's pyres.

"Well, then, why are you here?" The detective countered maliciously.

"…I need you…" The whisper came out, but L could barely discern the words, "I…I can't be without you…"

"…So you need me, but you cannot tell me what it is that has kept you away from myself for four days? What caused you to kill Raito Yagami? What has affected your behavior all this time?! What has made you refer to yourself as a MONSTER?!"

"…Yes." B crossed his arms, protectively, as if he could put a defensive force field between his own body, and his lover's.

"….And you just expect me to take you into my arms and hug you? After all of this, Beyond?! You…You make me feel things I was not used to, you wove your presence into my life, and now, after you leave without an explanation, for a good amount of TIME, you just expect me to not ask questions, and just take you and hold you!?"

"…I don't expect it, I just wish for it. And L, you wouldn't understand the reasons, you wouldn't like them, you-"

"How do you KNOW?" L grounded out in hatred, midnight eyes focused on the killer, "You claim to know my actions, you claim to know my feelings, and you have done so time and time again….But do you really? Do you KNOW that I spent hours in that hospital crying after all of those repulsive damning actions?! Do you KNOW that I missed you!?"

"…I know you did, Lawli…I figured all of that…I never said goodbye, I never told you everything…"

"While I DID tell you everything. Every last thing you wanted to know, Beyond, I told you. We spent hours talking, alone, just with one another, sharing everything. And all this time, you've kept something very important from me, haven't you?"

"…" Beyond just nodded, giving off another shiver, his wet, charcoal bangs nearly covering his blood-hued eyes.

"…Then I don't know what to say. I understand if you cannot share every last detail with me, but you already have shared so much, so what is holding you back now? You cannot just tell me some things, and leave out others; I did not do that with you."

"I know, Lawli…But…I know you would-"

"NO. You know nothing." Lawliet venomously spoke, turning away from his companion and turned his eyes to a stack of paperwork he had situated on the nearby desk.

"…O-Oh yeah!? Well, I know you're just the same old asshole that you were before!" B had finally found his confidence once more, but the moment the statement left his lips, the killer instantly regretted it, turning his face away from L's back, nearly whimpering at his hateful outburst.

"…Well. I am sorry you feel that way, but thankfully, you will not have to see me again."

"Oh?! So, you're…k-kicking me out? Is that it?" Beyond willed his lips to stop, but his emotions were so scrambled, the man did not know what he could exactly feel and speak with at the moment. Instead of trying to figure everything that swam in his mind, B chose to head closer to the open door through which he had snuck into the room, tiny puddles still on the carpeting, due to his soaked form.

"No, I am not. I'm leaving Japan tomorrow morning."

"…" The copy instantly froze, his eyes glued to the doorway in front of him, daring not to turn around to gaze upon L, but he did whisper, "What?"

"Watari thinks it would be best if I left, the Kira case is done after all. Apparently, I need a vacation."

"…W-Will you be returning anytime soon?" Beyond tried to hide the desperation in his voice, but failed; though, L showed no signs of hearing the tone, or being affected or afflicted by it.

"…No. I do not plan to return to Japan for some time, if at all. Most likely, when and if I find it necessary, such as for a case."

"…" Beyond hung his head, but turned around to gaze once more at the slightly-hunched figure of L Lawliet, the man's lanky back bent over the desk as the detective sorted the last of the paperwork that he could spot. B's eyes glistened over with light tears, and teeth softly bit rosy lips, but a soft whine still echoed out in the room, the sound stopping L's crafty hands. "…L-Lawliet…"

"…Yes?" L wanted to keep his back to the man, his rage and anger and dark side wanted that so badly; instead, the raven turned, facing his copy, the once-hardened expression on his face instantly blooming into something softer, kinder…and fairly foreign considering it was L who shined it.

"…D-Don't go….Please…I…I don't want you to go again…I-I never wanted you to go in the first place, and I didn't want to go either!"

"Then why did you, Beyond?"

"…Because I w-wanted to protect you from me…Because I damn well LOVE you, L…But I just…I just can't stay away from you, despite the fact that I should…"

"We're…bonded together, aren't we?" L asked quietly, and then responded with, "…I've missed you more than my ego would allow myself to admit earlier…I apologize."

"I-I figured…And…You have every reason to be upset, really…"

"…" There was a deep, thoughtful silence between the two for some time, gazes flickering between connecting with each other, and then the floor, or the wall, or some inanimate object.

"…Oh fuck it." B murmured to himself, and before L could question the statement, he found Beyond running to his side of the room, and wet arms wrapped themselves around Lawliet's body, hugging him tightly, as Beyond buried his face in L's shoulder, speaking softly,

"I-I'm so sorry, Lawli…I didn't mean any of that, and I-I just…I-I don't want to k-keep this from you, but I'm scared! Alright, I'm scared, there I said it!"

"Ah…" The insomniac let out a soft breath, letting one hand run through B's locks, the other rub the man's back, "Why are you, B? We've been through so much already, you...you don't have to hide anything now, do you?"

"…Fear makes a man act in certain ways, Lawliet…You should know that by now…"

"Yes, I suppose you are right…" L pulled B closer to his body, impossibly closer, really, and the younger one let out a gasp, and smiled, but hiding the grin as he buried his face in the raven's neck.

"…I-I've missed you, Lawli…Really…I know you might not believe me-"

"Shh…I do. And likewise, Beyond…"

The duo stood like that, for some time, just embracing, nothing more, relishing in the fact that they were united, mostly, once more. It was not until Lawliet realized that his lover was still sopping wet, and some of the water was even getting onto L's clothes, was the silence broken.

"B…how long were you out in the rain?" The raven pushed Beyond back just a tad, so he was at arm's length; the killer sighed, replying with,

"I've been out there all day…for the past four days, really. Just…sort of walking around, sneaking in sleep here or there…I haven't slept in a real bed at all, I can't go back to the warehouse now. So…I've just been hiding in the alleys…Until I just got up the nerve to come here…"

"Why did you not come here sooner?"

"…Fear." A lone word that could be mistaken as a simple answer, but it was far from the case.

"…Understandable. But let us get you out of these wet clothes, shall we?" Wrapping his arm around B's shoulder, the elder steered his copy towards the hotel bedroom; after pushing on Beyond's shoulders so he was seated upon the bed, he commanded, "Undress, I do not want you to catch pneumonia or some other disease. And just get in bed…We can have a nice, quiet talk."

The killer just nodded, shedding his shirt and jeans, choosing to remain in his boxers. Mutely, the younger one slid the covers down, and hurried his thin body between the sheets; L had left the room momentarily, going off to retrieve a towel, coming back, to B's surprise, stripped down to his undergarments as well, a white, cotton towel in his bony appendage.

"Here, dry your hair as well…" Lawliet got in next to B, tossing the cloth to his companion, who slowly dried his midnight locks; going too slow for Lawliet's taste, apparently, for the older man huffed after a moment, grabbing the towel roughly from Beyond Birthday, and began to dry the young man's hair his way.

"Really, now **I **have to mother **you**?" L gave off a tiny laugh, which did indeed make B smile, but wanly, with much exhaustion on his face.

"Well, you **are **the woman in the relationship, aren't you?"

"…"

"…You know, it's pretty cute when you stick your tongue out like that, L…" Beyond smirked slightly, Lawliet returning it with a pout that made B give off a slight laugh-cackle. But as quickly as the humor had come, it vanished, the serious and tense mood from before returning.

"…Is this the point where you make me tell you what I've been hiding, L?"

"…" The detective with the bushy hair remained silent for a moment, and unmoving as well; that was, until L decided to take B into his arms, holding the man in a gentle embrace. "No, **now **it is the point where you tell me everything, Beyond."

"Okay, okay…Heh, well, this IS more comfortable than a hobo's box."

"You slept in a hobo's box?!"

"…Well, yeah, but I had to kill-"

"OKAY, next topic PLEASE."

Beyond laughed aloud heartily, snuggling more into Lawliet's embrace. "Aw, but L, you said you wanted to know what I've been hiding, and I HAVE been hiding that fact…"

L rolled his eyes, "I think we both know what it is that we want you to speak of, Beyond."

"…Alright…" B sighed, closing his eyes for a moment, choosing his words carefully, "You know how I have…red eyes, right?"

"Yes. And we have established the fact that I find them quite attractive…but I have a feeling what you're speaking of does not deal with attractiveness, does it?"

"No…Lawliet, my eyes…they're special…in a cursed way."

"…Cursed?"

"Yes…I…I was born with them, and they…t-they give me a special ability…"

"…Go on, Beyond…" L prodded, letting a gentle hand caress B's back encouragingly.

"I…Heh, you're going to think I'm crazy, L…but these eyes…I don't know how I know this, but they're called…S-Shinigami Eyes…"

Obsidian orbs grew in width, pure, unfiltered shock was shining on L's expression.

_Shinigami Eyes…! Raito mentioned those in his letter…! And so, that means, B can-_

"I really don't know how I know that name," B continued, taking L's silence as a cue to do so, "It's like it is implanted knowledge in my mind…Anyway…These eyes…I can see really only in red hues, normally. I can discern black hues, and white and brown, and some blues and greens, and yellows but I mostly have this…red-type of vision. It's the most dominant at all times. But…that isn't why they're 'cursed', Lawli…"

"I figured not, B…Go on…" It was just a hushed whisper, for L hypothesized the real reason for the word 'cursed'.

_If what he states is what Raito spoke of…then it has to be true…All of it has to be true…_

"I…In essence…I see death with these eyes, L…" B spoke in a hushed whisper, as if he feared some Death God would strike him down from above or below for revealing trade secretes, "I…I know the name of anyone I look at…and how long they are to live…In other words…"

"Their lifespan…" L finished for B, dark pools staring not at the killer, but a point on the wall that was facing L, in pure shock, "So…t-that means you…"

"It explains a lot, doesn't it? Like how I knew your true name all this time, for starters."

"Y-Yes…"

"…I-If you want, I can go on, explain more…"

Lawliet nodded after a moment, his gaze returning to B's face,

"I knew when you were to die, Lawliet…November fifth, two-thousand and four, I remember seeing it after reuniting with you the first time. And that date is part of the reason I couldn't kill you. See, I can only kill someone when it is their fated time to die…And it was not your fated time to die because-"

"You were to fall in love with me…"

Beyond blushed, pouting slightly, but with a smile swirled in; the man's expression was as if it was a mixed drink: so many elements combining into one delicious expression, and after a moment, B continued,

"Yes…And I can change people's death dates, of course, lead them to their death…But that is beside the point at the moment; what does matter is…when…Yagami…When he came to the warehouse a few days ago…I-I saw that he didn't have a lifespan…"

"…Really…"

"Y-Yes, and that is abnormal. I always see a lifespan on any living human, any human that is breathing…Even right now, I can see yours…"

"…Would you say that it was…a supernatural occurrence, for Raito Yagami to not have this lifespan?"

"…" B remained silent, daring not to speak, instead choosing to nod his head.

"And…We had discussed that Kira might possibly be a supernatural killer-"

"And you told me how Raito Yagami was a Kira suspect…" B interrupted, "You do the math L…Everything just added up to him being Kira, and when he arrived there…" The killer's voice cracked, "I-I just had to get rid of him, I'm sorry…"

"Shh….Beyond, it is…it is in the past-"

"L-Lawli, I…I think he was Kira though…b-because right after he died…Y-Your lifespan changed…"

"?!" Lawliet blinked in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"…It increased L…You're not to die until you reach ninety-some years of age…"

"…Oh, God…so…so that means…"

"Yeah…" B trailed off, taking in a deep breath, "I think Raito Yagami would have killed you, Lawliet…"

"…Everything changed…" L murmured, mainly to himself.

"When he died, yes…You are destined to live longer now….I can see it with my own eyes…" B reached up a tired appendage, and waved it around above L's head, where the numbers only seen by him floated like buoys. "And if his death changed that, L…Then he must have been the cause…"

"…" The raven remained silent, his thoughts his only company for the moment…

_Beyond is not lying, I know that…Both Raito and Beyond mentioned "Shinigami Eyes"…But…_

…_Raito…Would you have killed me…?_

_…_

_Beyond changed my fate, then…_

_In more ways than I ever thought possible…_

Both remained mute, daring not to utter a word that would break the serenity that had returned to habit the two of them. Beyond only laid back into his Lawliet's embrace with more comfort and less tense muscles, letting a finger trail over the raven's abdomen, tracing scars from not-so-long-ago, scars that spelled out a rough letter 'B'.

"…Do you believe me, L?" The man muttered hesitantly after half an hour of nothing but loving holds and touches.

"…I do."

"How can you? Doesn't it sound-"

"Impossible?" A lone word interruption.

"Yeah…But doesn't it sound-"

"Like it is out of a fairy-tale? A story? One of those supernatural Japanese mangas?"

"Er…sure."

"…But…I do believe you, Beyond. I believe everything."

A smile blossomed on B's face, with a touch of a blush as well, like a kiss from an angel, "I know, L, and I thank you for that…"

They were silent once more, the copy's fingers still caressing the skin of the original one, who let out soft sighs of contentment, who would murmur under his breath words of pleasure at the electrifying touch.

"Lawli…What…what is going to happen now?"

"…I…"

"Look, if you want me to go, I'll go, but in the morning, okay? Please, just let me stay here tonight-"

"Beyond, I-"

"No, listen…I understand if you can't be with me now. If you think this isn't going to work," B gave off a firm tone, but Lawliet knew the man too well; he could see that the killer was faltering, that B was not as strong as he was trying to let on, "I can't stop you, and maybe you don't care for me as much anymore-"

"Beyond, listen, I-"

"No, no, I g-get it, really, I-MMPH!?"

Pallid cotton balls, sweet, snow-white lips connected with B's fuller and pinker ones, silencing the man, allowing L to actually complete a sentence,

"Listen to me…I…I don't want to lose you, either...We have come this far, why should we give up now?"

"But Watari-"

"Forget about Watari, I shall talk to him. I...I want you to come with me. We had planned this before, did we not?! Why should...why should it change now?"

"…Because you know everything about me now, L. And you saw me kill a man before your very eyes, which would stop any sane person from being with me."

"…You are forgetting one thing, Beyond." Lawliet had upon his face a glimmering grin.

"What is that?"

"…I'm not a sane person. I never was."

Laughter came from both of the men, but it ceased when their eyes met once more.

"…You…You never gave up on me…" B murmured, "Even after I killed him…you still cared, didn't you?"

"…Yes."

"…" Beyond could not help the beam that came onto his face, and the sheer size of it and the emotions it contained made the raven develop a blush on his face, "Lawli, thank you…I don't think I'll ever be able to say it enough."

"D-Don't mention it…"

"…Where are you-I mean, we-headed, then?"

"England, where else?" L gave off a grin, and B returned it, stating,

"Well…I suppose that would be alright…" Inside, though, the man was elated, overcome with joy. His old home-country…He was going home…With L…So now there really WOULD be a home to have…

"You shall be fine, I shall explain to Watari everything, tell him every last detail-!!"

Beyond had leapt up, his thin, but strong hand grasping the raven's cheeks, bringing them closer for a kiss,

"L, I love you…I…I probably haven't said it enough tonight…"

"…Ah…Well…" _At least you have the courage to say it at all, Beyond…_

"…But you deserve to hear it a lot, just…just remember that, okay?"

"…Do I, really? Do I really deserve all of what you claim? Deep down, think about…I am not sure if I really do sometimes…"

"…Yeah…You do." Foreheads touched, B's hands cupping L's cheeks still, the other's hands holding B's waist.

"…I…" _Say it, Lawliet, Say it NOW…For the love of God, just SPIT IT OUT…_

"Shh…" B could see the inner turmoil in his lover's eyes, it was quite obvious, in many aspects, "Don't…don't do anything unless you are ready, got it?"

"..." Obsidian orbs closed when the elder of the two nodded; said man let out a luscious, but quiet, moan when B's lips found his own once more, the two bodies falling back onto the bed.

Though the men did not make love that night, they kissed passionately, warmly, embracing one another. It had only been four days of separation, but due to what had caused the parting, it really felt as if it had been an eternity for both.

And Lawliet did not state how much he loved Beyond that night either, the courage was unable to come; he could only show it in the kisses, the touches, the soft-spoken words that told of a future to come for both of them. Granted, they knew that there was to be hardships, they knew there was to be arguing, fighting, and most likely some chaos brewed in, but that was not at the forefront of their minds as their legs tangled up in each other as bodies snuggled under satin sheets.

Every ounce of pain was washed away, cleansed from their souls; there was no murderer and detective that night, or for the rest of their nights. Their titles were forgotten when they were with one another, and they always would be. Just Lawliet and Beyond, nothing more, nothing less.

Beyond took the time to massage Lawliet's back and shoulders, claiming it was 'just the first massage of a long line he was to receive'; the raven complied, the gentle contacts healing his body and soul simultaneously.

It was just the beginning of the healing…

Just the beginning of peace between the duo…

Hands touched, memorizing every single flaw; but then minds threw away those flaws, focusing on every single positive they could find. Indeed, the flaws were appreciated, and thought of as not too terrible, but the positives were worshiped, adored, praised, by both mind and body.

It was the least each of them owed one another.

They breathed each other in, and when L murmured how B needed a shower, the nineteen year old laughed vivaciously, shaking his head, and tried to kiss his lover's neck, to get the man to comply and forget the slight odor the copy had. Sadly, L was not swayed, and the detective even forced B out of bed, dragging him into the shower, turning on the water.

"AHH! Jesus, L, the water's cold!" The young man screamed, and continued to do so, despite Lawliet ordering him to be silent, lest Watari hear the two of them. The man's room was NOT far away, so there was that chance.

"I'll be as loud as I want to be, dammit! I hope you hear my voice, Lawliet, for I swear-"

"…You were saying?"

"…"

L, somehow, with swift and silent skill, had removed his clothing and had snuck into the shower, wrapping his bare arms and nude body around Beyond's, who in turn developed a blush with the hue of a beautiful summer rose.

"…G-Get off of me, do you want me to bathe or NOT!?"

"Hmph. Well, I shall just take my leave then-" Just as Lawliet was about to exit the shower, curtain in hand, B's hand lunged out, hooking onto the pasty arm.

"Don't. You. Dare."

Kisses under the shower-head occurred, touches too, but nothing more. It was not the night for that sort of interaction.

The first time had been indeed wonderful, magical, and would always be planted in L's memory, but now? No, now they had to keep discovering one another, so they could do that once more. So they could have sexual activity, while knowing who the other really was, not just wanting and desiring them blindly. Each had made headway from the very beginning, with knowing the other, but they had to keep going, they had to keep discovering, discovering all…And that COULD include erogenous zones, if one wanted to be specific, for…

"EEH! HEY!"

"Oooh, Lawliet's so ticklish and sensitive…"

"Oh, Beyond, you better not-AHAH! Okay, STOP! STOP!"

Beyond did stop the menacing tickling after a while, choosing instead to cuddle with his lover, dozing off near the time of one A.M…

L, though…did not fall into the land of slumber…

Though the man's insomnia had waned when in the presence of his new-found partner, tonight, it returned, and Lawliet could guess why…

But he would not do anything about it…until **three** A.M…

OoOOooOOOooOOo

**3 A.M.**

OoOOooOOOooOOo

A match was lit in the still of the night, and L threw it onto the fireplace, the logs instantly becoming ablaze, the rays of gold and ruby flickering across porcelain skin, dancing like demons and angels, and beings that most likely did not even truly exist.

In the other hand, Raito's letter was gripped into a firm hold, and once the fire was up and running, midnight gems read the words once more, a small sliver of a smile on L's pallid face.

"Thank you…"

Raito had given him so much, just in those words alone. The man had most likely, deep down, really had cared for him. But would he have killed him?

Most likely.

If what B stated was true, then Lawliet had to believe his lover.

For Raito was Kira…And Kira was Raito. Perhaps they had some separate entities, and Raito Yagami had written his letter…

But if the two of them had been together, L and Raito…

L would have been with Kira too…

And Kira would never have allowed him to live, despite Raito's yearnings.

"This is goodbye, Raito-kun…Thank you…And thank you for letting me go…"

It was true; Raito had let the man go in that letter. Everything had closed in on the young college student, the handsome brunette. The doubts of everything truly working out to perfection, to complete bliss, the searching, the hiding, the personalities, the differences, the lying, the killing…Everything had just made it impossible.

But that did not mean Raito did not feel…He had felt and it was obvious in the letter…

But it was also obvious that Kira and the human brunette had waged mental wars during the journey to L…

And in the end, Raito had had to let Lawliet go, go on his merry way…But it taught the detective so much, and though he flicked his wrist, throwing the letter into the pyre, he smiled.

"I hope…you are happy as well, Raito-kun…And…I hope you are free of all of that…"

The letter crinkled and crackled, but the noise did not drown out padded footsteps approaching L.

"Lawli? What's wrong?"

"Hmm?"

B stood in the doorway to the bedroom, a blanket around his shoulders, while questioning garnet eyes stared at the elder.

"…A fire? What for? Are you cold?"

"…A tad. There…there was something I needed to burn, though…if you want to be honest."

"…Oh." The copy stepped closer to his lover, gazing at the flames, "…You don't have to tell me, I know there's...still secrets about you. Which, I really don't mind, if you want to be honest."

"…You don't?"

B shook his head, "You're an enigmatic and perplexing man, L. If I tried to take that away, I would be just taking away a part of you, and I can't do that. Not now."

"Mm…" The man gave a conversational murmur, before having another question come to mind, "B…does the fire bother you?"

"…" The murderer knew the origin of the question, and just shrugged, "I'm…I'm getting over the fear of fire. It was my stupid fault anyway, trying to burn myself alive all those months ago…"

"Your skin looks…quite enchanting for having gone through that…" L sent a kind grin to the younger one, who returned the gesture, nodding his head, and giving off a perky and evident blush as well.

"They were able to save a lot of my skin, miraculously…And I have been able to put on makeup and everything…I keep a few spare items in my pockets, hence my still having this appearance even after the shower from before."

"So…when you stated you need to be alone for a few moments-"

"Yes…I was putting on eye-liner and paling my skin. I keep the items in my pocket, with my switchblade. They're the only items I have always had on my person. I took them right before I left the warehouse, precautionary and all."

"…Ah…I see…"

"…" Silence for some time, then, "Lawli, that...that whole thing doesn't creep you out, does it? I'm…I'm sorry, but I feel the most comfortable when I'm like this…"

Ebony orbs turned to lock with B's own eyes, and the detective shook his head, "No, I do not mind in the least…I wouldn't want you any other way, really…"

B snorted, "You're such a cheesy bastard half the time…"

"E-Excuse me?! I'll have you know that I am TRYING to be romantic here!"

"And it shows." B stated with a smile, but L continued to rant, causing the copy to roll his eyes.

"And I have read SOME romance novels, but not too many, so I can NOT be called a CHICK!"

"I'd never call you that, my adorable uke-chan…"

"…"

"…Is this where I run and hide?"

"…Yes."

Beyond bolted, L chasing him with blinding speed, and, due to the hand of God stepping in, Lawliet was able to tackle the other to the bed, and commenced in his own form of tickling torture.

All the while, the fire burned in the other room, sparks popping quietly, like church mice from fairy tales…the flames a symbol of peace and humor and joy…serenity.

The rest of the night was full of heartfelt tenderness, of sweet kisses and rapture, and embraces full of one thing…No, two things…

Love…

And…

Serenity…

The rain outside had calmed down, just like the once-tortured souls inside the hotel…Clouds no longer cried that night, but dripped down drops of sweet relaxation, of soft and tender peace, all throughout Kanto…

And in the end, Lawliet fell asleep, his head on Beyond Birthday's arm, the jam-lover chuckling at the sight of his lover snoring, his sweet-addicted, forgiving angel…

B's own body drifted off not long after, though the cities out there, out there in the real world, did not sleep, they never did…

But they were never peaceful, so is it not understandable, then…?

For the men inside slept, dreamt, and loved…

Because they had pulled a miracle…

The miracle of being able to mellow-out and calm another soul…the soul that they were destined to love…

Serenity was home for both L and B, and She could not have been happier…

OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A/N: Well, last big chappie!! ^-^ WOOT, I hope you all enjoyed it!

The epilogue is our final stop, and from there, we shall be done! There is one more aspect of the story I must cover, and I am sure some of you may be able to guess what it is ;D

Thank you so much for all the support I have received and I'd like to thank any haters too! Because you keep me going too, and I shall never stop writing ^^

Thanks again, and stay tuned!

Song Inspiration: "Better" by Regina Spektor, "So Small" by Carrie Underwood, and "2 A.M." by Anna Nalick. Also: "You Give Me Something" by James Morrison : D


	21. Epilogue: Tomorrow

A/N: And here we are, ladies and gentlemen, the finale.

It's been a long, tough, and eventful road, but we've reached the ending, and I could not be happier.

I'd like to thank everyone who has read this story and reviewed, and commented and made this story part of their favorites. Every single one means so much to me, and they always kept me going, despite the hardships.

Yes, there were some hardships. I've gotten flamed, I've gotten a chapter deleted on DeviantArt, and the subject matter in general is not something easily written. But we've made it to the end, and I am so happy with the results.

I'd personally like to take the moment to thank The Sacred Pandapuff and ThorW. Without their inspiration, this story would have never been created. 3 This finale is dedicated just for you two.

And now, I give you my final chapter, and I take a bow as the curtain closes on this story.

Thank you, once more, from the bottom of my heart. ^^

Inspired by the song "Just Feel Better" by Steven Tyler & Santana, along with the song "Say" by John Mayer.

Also, ladies and gentlemen, I do not plan to write a sequel for this story. I'm leaving it up to you all to imagine what truly happens at the 'end'. ^^ For really, no story ever ends.

Thank you, now, please, enjoy!

_Italics are Inner thoughts AND Flashbacks…_

_OoOoOOOOoOOOoooOOooOOOooo_

_"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind."_

_- A Midsummer's Night Dream, Act I, Scene I_

_OoOoOOoOoOOoOOoOOoOOOOoOOOoOOOoOOOoOOoOooOooOOoOOO_

The concrete and glass buildings zoomed past Beyond Birthday's line of sight, whizzing by, ruby eyes barely having seconds to connect with any particular structure. Off and on, a Japanese citizen turned their curious gaze to either gawk or stare in awe at the black Mercedes that was heading due south, for the nearest airport.

B would not miss the people of Japan; that was a sure fact. Then again, was that a surprise? The man was not socially inclined by any means…perhaps he had more in common with his lover than first perceived, all those years ago…

Mm, all those years ago…It sounded downright silly to say such a thing…Had it really been years ago that the killer first encountered his lover? When he had become obsessed with him?

Indeed, it was years ago…

Beyond let out a languid sigh, choosing to let his head rest upon L's shoulder, the raven seated directly to B's left. Lawliet's orbs had closed, but opened a crack to peer down at the younger male, who was giving off a small, impish grin.

If this was all a dream, the copy did not want to awaken…

But he kept getting reminders it was not a fantasy his own troubled mind, that was plagued with insanity a good deal of the time, had conjured up…The kiss L gave him at that very moment, on the crown of his head, could be considered one of those reminders.

Beyond let out a purr, snuggling up to L even more so; but the young one's happiness died down slightly when he caught Watari's steely, grey eyes gazing at the couple through the rear-view mirror as he drove along.

_Typical…He'll never approve of us, will he?_

B recalled how difficult it had actually been for his L to convince Wammy to let B accompany him…

_"You have WHOM in this hotel?!" Wammy did not even try to be quiet, the yell echoing out in the small suite; L had taken his mentor and caretaker into the elder's private quarters, leaving BB to listen to the conversation outside the door. The copy had been completely hidden from Watari's line of sight the entire night, and the early morning hours; now that it was time to leave, Lawliet had to announce the truth._

_The detective sighed, and calmly stated, "Beyond Birthday."_

_"WHAT?! L, explain yourself, NOW!"_

_"…You shall want the truth then, Watari. Well, I have developed a very intimate relationship with Beyond Birthday. And…after he vanished from the warehouse in the shipping part of the area…He came here last night, and I plan to have him come with me to England, and wherever else I travel for the rest of my life."_

_"…L…"_

_"Watari, this is not your place to interfere, I shall warn you now."_

_"W-When did this happen?" The elder's stutter was clearly heard by the eavesdropping killer._

_"…I cannot point the exact moment when I realized my true feelings for the man, but does that matter? I know I realized it when he held myself hostage-"_

_"L, this could just be a syndrome! Stockholm, Lima-"_

_"NO!" L shouted, and the harsh tone of the man's words, directed at his oldest ally, shook Beyond Birthday to the core, "I…I NEED him, I…I…"_

_"…Dear God, you love him…" Watari breathed out, the awe evident in his tone.  
_

_"…Yes…I…I just can't say it yet...I have not been able to tell Beyond to his face the real extent of my feelings…"_

_"…" Quillish remained silent, eventually letting out a sigh, "L…I knew something had changed in you the moment we talked in the hospital. And that was it, wasn't it? You missed him."_

_"…Y-Yes."_

_"Though I hardly approve…" Watari trailed his sentence off, but ended it with a firm tone, "I shall allow Beyond Birthday to come with us. For…I can tell as sad as he made you that day in the hospital, he gives you that much in happiness, doesn't he?"_

_"Yes, Watari."_

_"Very well, then…He shall join us, but I expect good behavior, otherwise…"_

_"I know…You'll send him away, won't you?"_

_"L, in truth, he should be jailed for his crimes, and you know it."_

_"Yes, but-!" L could not finish his plea, for Watari interrupted with,_

_"But you care for him, and love always combats judgment, every single time. It clouds it as well…So, I shall allow him to come with us. But if he hurts you-"_

_"Beyond stated he shall never hurt my being like that, ever again, and I believe him. Shall I promise you that we will never fight? No, I cannot…Even those who love one another quarrel. But I thank you kindly, Watari. Though, I hope you realize, he would have been snuck in the baggage if necessary…"_

_There was laughter in the other room, which made Beyond a very joyous man; and then, an embarrassed man, for he was caught snooping in on the conversation when L opened the door a second later…_

It did not matter though, no one else's feelings really mattered in this situation…Not Watari's, especially…

B was just glad he and his Lawli-Pop had been able to leave Japan quietly. The detective had bid a tense farewell to the Soichiro Task Force, the cold auras in the room mainly due to the passing of Raito Yagami. The Yagami's father had given a terse goodbye, shaking Lawliet's bony hand with a rock-hard grip, and Soichiro looked as if he wanted to maul the young man whom his son had died saving. Anyone could tell the graying Yagami thought L to be an insensitive and selfish person, and especially ungrateful. Beyond had been hiding in the other room at the time, the bedroom, and had snuck peaks through a crack in the doorway; the young murderer had been boiling with rage at the time, wanting to attack Soichiro for the vile way he was gazing upon his Lawliet, but BB restrained himself perfectly.

Misa Amane did not attend the farewell of L, Matsuda reporting that she was in a state of 'mental anguish'. B was to tell L, immediately after the group of officers was to leave, that Misa Amane was actually suicidal…

_"I saw her at the funeral, and-"_

_"You ATTENDED Raito Yagami's FUNERAL!?"_

_"Er, well, yeah…I sort of have this thing for attending the funeral of those I kill…"_

_"And you didn't come over and say HI!?"_

_"L, do we REALLY have to discuss all of that, AGAIN?" _

_"…" Lawliet pouted, causing his companion to laugh, and ruffle the original one's feathery locks._

_"Silly…But yeah, I got a peak at the girl's lifespan, and well…she's going to die within forty-eight hours of Raito's funeral and she looks particularly healthy, so…"_

_The detective nodded, "Should I warn someone then?"_

_"No, don't bother." B stated bluntly, reaching over across the coffee table to grab his open jam-jar, slurping at the sticky red substance in an, in L's opinion, fairly erotic manner._

_"Why not, though?"_

_"See, here's the thing, L. While humans can alter how and when they die, they can't prevent it. It's gonna happen anyways. One could live a happy life, and not die until they reach a ripe old age; or, they could smoke, let's use that, since it is a proven fact, and come down with lung cancer and perish at the age of forty. It's just how life is, you can't prevent it."_

_"But you stated you are able to alter someone's lifespan so you can…kill them sooner, or so you can kill them at all. So why-"_

_"L, think about it. If she's suicidal, and you stop her THIS time…don't you think she could do it again?"_

_"I suppose…She had quite an infatuation with Raito-kun…But…Would it not be Just-"_

_"Yeah, yeah, it would be 'just' to help her," B interrupted with a roll of his eyes, "Or would it, L? What IS Justice? Isn't it a word that has a lot of connotations and definitions?"_

_"…Yes, I understand. She would just suffer alive, wouldn't she? Without the person she loved and devoted herself to…the one she was obsessed with…it would kill her…"_

_"So let her go and…well… let her be with him now…"_

_"But Raito does not love her-"_

_"Doesn't matter. And I'm not saying they ARE going to be together…but they won't be separated by planes of existence, will they?"_

_Lawliet shrugged, "I would not know, Beyond, I have never dealt with being dead before."_

_"Neither have I, but L…Once you're around a lot of death, you learn a few things…"_

_"…Yes…I suppose…"_

_"And you know what one of those things is?"_

_"Hmm? What?"_

_B smiled a cocky grin, scooting closer to the raven seated next to him, "One comes to appreciate being alive even more so…And they appreciate survival too."_

Little did both men know, that as they drove out of the town, Misa Amane stood atop a water tower, ready to jump, in a fancy and lacy Gothic Lolita Maid outfit…

…But the blonde was not on BB's mind, nor L's; in fact, the latter had his head resting back against the seat of the Mercedes, his breathing slow and peaceful, a beam, though tiny, resting upon his cheekbones. The smile grew, not surprisingly, when B grabbed hold of Lawliet's bony appendage, twining their fingers together.

Beyond was mystified by both the smile upon his lover's face, and the actual realization that Lawliet was not only here, sitting beside him, but loving him as well. And he DID love BB…Though he had failed to say it to his face yet.

B had known for some time the man's true feelings, he could just tell by the looks in L's gray-charcoal orbs, and the soft words, the gentle touches; he could even discern it when they argued and fought, albeit somewhat roughly and-or playfully! And L had admitted it to Watari, which was not really a surprise to the copy…L had always been able to admit anything to Wammy, in the end.

Now the goal was having L admit it to B.

But, why rush it?

"Hehe…"

"Hmm?" Lawliet had caught the slight laugh from his lover, and opened his eyes to gaze down upon the man, whose thin head was resting on a bony shoulder.

"Nothing Lawli-Pop, don't worry…"

The detective nodded, giving B's hand a gentle squeeze, turning his attention now to the window, while B gazed onward out his own piece of glass.

…A goal of having L states those words to him…

What had seemed impossible now seemed plausible…probable…

Able to occur…

When though?

Beyond titled his head slightly, smiling as the thoughts swirled about in his head,

_'When' doesn't really matter…he loves me, that's all that matters…it's more than I could have ever thought possible…more than I could have asked for, despite my wanting it so badly…_

It was true; the 'when', the time…it did not matter…

There was tomorrow, there was Friday, there was Sunday…

There was July, There was August…

There was the Future…

A future which had never existed until now…

B let out a sigh of relief…There WAS a future now…He had had nothing before, only his obsessions, his sick fantasies, his deathly desires…Those things were the only life support B had actually had…

But all had changed when he had done the horrid task of kidnapping L…and then raping the detective…

And then the proclamation that changed everything…

_If I had never said that…Wow…Everything would be different…_

_But I was meant to say it, wasn't I…?_

Nevertheless, Beyond Birthday had, and now…

The Future existed…His heart that had 'supposedly' frozen and died was resurrected with a blinding passion…And, most of all…

L was his.

Finally…

He had always wanted to 'possess' the man, in an unhealthy fashion…But now he did, in a healthier way. Granted, there was still a dark side of Beyond that relished the submissive nature of Lawliet, and how they did possess each other in an unhealthy and a tad murky way…

The copy hummed, making himself the most comfortable he could be, as he truly began to realize what he had gained…

A tomorrow…

And though L had not yet said those three little words to his face yet…

He could wait…

There was always tomorrow…

A tomorrow he now had…

To hear L say those three little words to him…

OoOOooOOOooOOoOooOoOOoOO

"Thank you Watari…" Lawliet whispered as quietly as he could, the elder nodding as he began to traverse to a more secluded area of the jet, leaving L and B alone. Wammy had just brought the duo two pieces of cake, for mainly L, of course, and a blanket for the both of them to snuggle up under.

Though, it was a tad incorrect to say 'both of them' for either item, because B had fallen asleep, the younger one's head lolling onto the gaunt shoulder that belonged to the detective.

These times, when B was such a peaceful male…One could have said the killer was not a devil, but more an angelic figurine, with his skin, made porcelain by the usage of make-up and care and time, shining in the sun.

The private jet took off, with one of Wammy's other caretakers flying it off the restricted runway, that Lawliet had had the money and ability to pay for and afford; B did not stir, though, only choosing to let out a quiet murmur that sounded closely to a 'roar'.

It was a good thing that the men were to arrive in Winchester and Wammy's Orphanage quickly; apparently, Watari had recently received word that two successors (_Dammit, Mihael! And Nate, I would have thought you would not behave lewdly!)_ were entangled in an interesting romantic relationship…

If Lawliet's heart went out to anyone, though, it was Mail Jeevas…That poor boy, who knows what he could have witnessed!

The insomniac laughed to himself, shaking his head; perhaps the various generations of Wammy's were not so different after all…

L also planned to take some time and visit A's grave…

There was so much reconciling the older man had to make with his deceased successor and his own conscience as well…

And Roger, oh Roger…Watari had mentioned the man was going to go about changing his attitude towards the children there, and L realized he would be more than happy to help…

But there was one more issue that was on Lawliet's mind:

He had not told Beyond that he loved him.

And the man feared he would never get the courage to say so…

When would he say it? And would B stick around long enough to hear it…?

"Mmm…" The younger man let out a mutter in his sleep, prying the raven away from his thoughts, "My Lawli…"

"…" The detective did not awaken the lad, instead choosing to smile…

_He…He will wait, won't he…? He's come this far, **we **have come this far…_

_Perhaps…I may even say it later today…! Or tomorrow…? I wish I knew when though, exactly…_

_Or perhaps one is not meant to really know when we say that to our significant other…_

_Maybe there ARE Higher Powers…That decide all of this…That decide everything…_

…_Maybe…_

Cumulus clouds of white cotton balls surrounded the plane as it flew onward, and when B subconsciously let a hand fly in his sleep, and let it fall onto L's body, near his waist, the elder had to chuckle and smile; that was his B, even a tad rambunctious (and possibly aroused) in his sleep…

It was then Lawliet was hit over the head with a brick of realization: There really was indeed time to tell Beyond that he loved him…

That there was no need to truly worry…

He was Beyond's…

Beyond's was his…

That was the Gospel Truth, was it not…?

And he, L Lawliet…had gained time…

Not just from Kira dying…But from…Beyond coming back…

From not being dead…

It almost could be categorized as a miracle, really…

But it was one word in particular that sent shivers up L's spine:

Tomorrow.

There was time to say I love you…Tomorrow…

He would tell him, eventually…

Tell B how much he truly meant to the raven…

How he had become a necessity…

A want…

A desire…

A piece of the puzzle that completed the jigsaw of L's heart, the puzzle nearly being broken by the ugly, darkened souls Lawliet knew from long ago…

There was time; there was a tomorrow to say 'I love you'…

Yes…L would tell B he loved him. Maybe not tonight, maybe not tomorrow; but that was the thing, he **could** now, there was time.

For there was now **always** going to be a tomorrow…

With thanks to Beyond Birthday…

And the smiles he gave to Lawliet…

And the kisses he gave to Lawliet…

Both the sweet, passionate, loving kisses from now…from the present…

And…

The ones in the past…

The Bloody ones Beyond Birthday gave before…

OoOOOOOOOOoOOo

**END**

OoOOOOOOOOoOOo


End file.
